


For the Life Unlived

by ColeTReed



Series: HomeHunters [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: For the Life Unlived, Gen, HomeHunters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-24
Updated: 2013-09-27
Packaged: 2017-12-16 01:11:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 249,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/856065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColeTReed/pseuds/ColeTReed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Geoff and Jack have just started their new charitable organization known as the “HomeHunters”, an organization funded by local sponsors as a social experiment to help the growing adoption problem in the United States.  Bringing abandoned and lost children into their small home, they try to give them a life that every child should live, free from worry, and with enough support to let them live whatever life they want.  If their first trials go well, they could grow their organization into something that could really change the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ryan's Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [someoneudontknow5](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/23746) by someoneudontknow5. 



> My headcanon for the world of someoneudontknow5 (of tumblr) , I wanted to write a fanfiction based on the ADORABLE comics. 
> 
> Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The people portrayed within this story are characters based on the internet personalities of Rooster Teeth, and in no way, shape, or form reflect their past/present selves.

Chapter one

_“Umm…  Can we have some food?” says a small voice of a child.  He’s only eight, very malnourished and skinny, sweating like crazy through his ragged brown T-shirt.  He has strong blue eyes though, eyes of a fighter, those eyes covered by long brown hair.  To his right is a slightly taller boy, even though he’s only 7.  This one has bright reddish/orange hair with copper brown eyes, and is hiding in the shadow of the boy who’d just spoken, very frightened._

_They are standing in a shack of a home, destroyed and in dire need of repairs.  Moldy, rotten floors, shattered windows, no central air in the middle of an Austin summer.  Alcoholic and drug paraphernalia litter the house._

_“No.  Go away.” The harsh woman’s voice echoes in the hardwood.  In a drugged out state, she’s got matted hair, is also very skinning, her ribs showing_

_The boy with the strong blue eyes stands up firmly.  “We haven’t eaten in DAYS, you have to feed us when we’re not in school!  I’ll call MISSES-” he says with a harsh voice._

_CRACK_

_A beer bottle is slammed across the boy’s head, hurling him to the floor, the orange haired one picking him up before he fell.  His right eyebrow is cut, bleeding._

_“Listen here.  You are here for one reason, and that’s to make sure we get a paycheck every month without having to do shit.  I don’t give a fuck what you do, just don’t end my gravy train anytime soon.  If you so much as even WHISPER to Miss McAby, me or one of my friends will hunt down your little sister Griffy and make sure she suffers more than anyone else in the world!  We’ll kill her, but not until we’ve made her cry every last tear she has in her BODY.” she says, now standing up, putting her foot on the kid’s head, slamming him into the floor._

_“Life’s tough kid, get the fuck over it!” she says, now laughing a bit._

____________

Geoff Ramsey opens his eyes slowly, his deep blue eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room.

Yet another nightmare of his pitiful childhood and it takes him a moment of careful breathing to get over it.  Taking in his surroundings, and raising up a bit in the bed, he sees he is in the Home Hunters bedroom, the newly furnished room he’d just moved into a few nights before.  It’s very plain, clearly not a place of wealth or excessive spending.  Cheap plastic wood furnishing from Wal-Mart, a single television set, desk with an ancient donated computer system for bookkeeping and reports.  His bed was a cheap mattress with cheap sheets and an old quilt on it. 

He smiled a bit now though.  Realizing his dream was HERE.

After several years on the streets after he came of age, he got himself into college, majoring in child psychology with his (foster) brother Jack Patillo.  Originally both social workers for a few years, they worked their ass off, got sponsored and managed to create their dream company, the Home Hunters.  Geoff and Jack would soon be taking in abandoned and abused children to live with them on a permanent basis, and would raise them in a small home, where they would get the constant food, love and attention that all children needed.   The state government loved the idea, hoping to see it do well, so that the group could expand and help the growing foster problem in the United States.

Geoff gets up out of the bed, pulling on a shirt next to his bed and walking into the living room.  He had a skinny figure, dark brown hair sticking up all over the place and a scraggly beard, his arms covered in thick tattoos from his teenage and college years, each one a powerful message in and of itself. 

The house wasn’t very big, but it was clean, safe and better than most apartments.  White carpeting (WHAT were they thinking?!), beige walls and about 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, linen closet and a kitchen.  It would be cramped, but they had enough room to start small and do a good job.

“Can’t sleep?” says Jack on the couch.  Geoff chuckled.  Jack was like his brother, having gone through everything together since they got placed in their shithole of a home so many years ago.  Jack was bigger than he was, though not taller anymore.  His flaming red/orange hair descended to his chin, him having a ridiculous beard that put Geoff’s to shame.

“No shit Sherlock.” He says, plopping down next to him. 

“So, this is really a thing?” Jack says, letting out a deep breath of air, him long since stopped paying attention to the television.

Geoff nods.  “Yeah man, they’re bringing the kid first thing in the morning.  Ryan Haywood.”

Jack turns to him.  “You think we’re ready?  I mean, it’s one thing to counsel kids, but we’re going to be like their dads.”

Geoff chuckles.  “Well, we can’t do any worse than what went with us, so I’m sure anything would be an improvement.”

Jack looks down a bit.  “Maybe so, but…  I guess..”  He lets out a big breath.  “I want them to be happy Geoff, like REALLY happy, like they have a freaking fantastic life happy and don’t even remember all the sadness.”

Geoff smiles at him.  “And that’s why we are going to be great parents and caretakers.  That’s why our project is going to work, and that’s why we’re going to do something big here.”

~

The morning came very quickly, neither one of them getting much sleep.  Geoff and Jack both cleaned up the house a bit, getting the kid’s room ready as well as them showering.  He wouldn’t have much, but they’d take care of it that afternoon and take him shopping.  Geoff really didn’t know the whole story about Ryan, but the agent in charge of his case would fill him in on it later.

The knock on the door came early, nearly on the dot of eight o’clock. 

Geoff walked towards it, pulling it open, a tall woman in a regal red business suit and bright smile with long and curly blonde hair.  Behind her is a small boy, looking down at his feet.

“Good morning Mr. Ramsey, I’m Ms. Dunkelman, and I’m Ryan’s agent and your liaison with the agency.  Here’s my card.” She says, handing it to him. 

“Ah, just call me Geoff.  Is this guy Ryan?” he says, smiling and peeking behind her.

Ryan’s expression doesn’t change, him still staring at the floor, not moving.

“Yes it is.  Ryan here volunteered for the program, and I’m hoping everything goes well!” she says, now sitting down on Ryan’s level.  “Ryan, this is Mr. Ramsey, and he’s going to be your new father with Mr. Patillo back there.” She says, pointing in the background, Jack waving with a warm smile.

Ryan’s face looks up, Geoff taking him in for the first time.  He was probably between eleven and twelve, wearing some baggy jeans he’d probably gotten from the agency, and some zip up blue hoodie with a “my little pony” logo on the shirt.  He had dark brown hair and light blue eyes, though they’re a little dead looking.   He was SKINNY, and Geoff knew immediately to get this kid a burger.

“Don’t you want to say hello Ryan?” Ms. Dunklemen says, pushing him a bit into the household.  He looks back down. 

“Hello Sir.” He forces out, in a dull tone of forced respect.

“Hey man, let’s show you your room, and Ms. Dunkelmen will settle up things with Geoff here.” Jack says, taking the kid by the hand, and leading him through the household .

As Ryan disappears into his room, Barbara stands back up.  “Mr. Ramsey, I’m truly sorry to leave you with this one right off the bat, but…  Well, it’s one we really needed to get into a safe situation.  You guys are different than most homes, since you’re under government protection, so his parents won’t get him back.”

Geoff intakes a breath of air, now nervous. “What’s the story?” he asks, asking her to walk inside.  She does, taking a seat on the same couch he and Jack had occupied the previous night.

“Long story short, and I’m leaving you his files to read in detail, but Ryan was pretty badly neglected for a long time.  His parents are both drug addicts and didn’t want much to do with his care and definitely couldn’t take care of themselves, so he started taking care of himself and his parents from about six, and he did a pretty good job keeping them all fed with what little money they didn’t blow on meth or what drugs they could afford.  We didn’t know until about a week or two ago when he came to school late and cried about his mom overdosing, him begging for them to help her or she was going to die.”

Geoff rubbed his face in disgust.  The disgust being that it wasn’t the worst story he’d ever heard. 

“After that, we got him out and learned everything that had been going on.  His mother will be out of intensive care in about a week, and could possibly get custody back if she gets into rehab. You and I both know what a crock that is, so we gave him this option, and he took it pretty quickly.  Poor kid is about thirty pounds underweight, has serious trust issues and doesn’t know how to let others take care of him.  You have…  Well, you have quite the trial ahead of you.” She says, still smiling but looking tired.  She knew the score, Geoff could tell easily.  This wasn’t her first rodeo. 

Geoff looked at her, taking her hand and shaking it.  “We’ll do our best.  Let us know when you need us.  We’re small, but we can handle about three more.  After that we’d be strained though.”

Barbara nods.  “Geoff, you come highly recommended from the agency from your past years, Jack too, so I’m going to keep you as my last hope on these kids.  Please…  Don’t disappoint me, I want this to work.” She says, getting up and smiling again as Ryan re-enters the living room with Jack.

“Well Ryan, I’m heading out so you guys can get to know each other better, but you have my number.  Call me if you need ANYTHING, and I will come just as soon as possible.  I’ll be back soon to check up on you too, so don’t think you’re rid of me yet!” She says smiling, petting him on the shoulders.

Ryan nods his head and gives her a big hug.  “Thank you Ms. Dunkleman.” He manages to say before letting go and sitting on the couch, not staring at anyone in the eye.

Barbara waves as the walks out of the door, and its shut slowly by Geoff who sits next to Ryan.  “So Ryan, you want to go shopping?  We could get you some clothes and some stuff for your room, I’m sorry it’s so boring.” Geoff says sweetly, Jack nodding his head.  “Yeah man, we could grab lunch too, I’m starving.”

Ryan shakes his head.  “You, um..  Don’t have to do that.”

Geoff smiled.  “Ok then, well, I guess you could go to school in the my little pony hoodie.  I prefer Flutteryshy though, Rainbow Dash isn’t exactly trendy to me.”

Ryan’s face crumples for a second.  “I guess….”

~

Geoff had never met a more infuriating kid in his life before, even in all his days in the agency.  Not because he was rude, and not because he was misbehaving, but because he was so damn polite it was killing him. 

“So, would you rather go with T-shirts or something fancier like polos?” Geoff asks, Ryan in the middle of Old Navy.  The store had a good sale on everything, which was perfect for their budget.  Jack was in Target, looking for a few things in private for the kid like nightshirts, pajamas, underwear, socks or whatnot that they could buy in bulk and save some money. 

“Whichever you think would be cheaper sir.” He replies, not looking into his eyes.

Geoff rubs his heads.  “Uh, it’s up to you.  Either one is good, just whatever is more your style.”

Ryan thinks for a moment, and points to the T-shirts.  “Thank you, sir.” He says

Resisting the urge to slap the kid on the head and make him selfish, he then gently moves him towards the stack of T-Shirts, and begins handing him ones to try on.  “Let’s get ones that are a little bigger so you’ll have room to grow.” Geoff says, putting a T-shirt up to Ryan’s back seeing if it would measure up.

“Yes sir.” He says again.

Geoff sighs.  “Ryan, you don’t have to call me sir.  It’s polite, and cute, but you can call me Mr. Ramsey or even better if you’d just call me Geoff.  Or dad, if you want or feel comfortable with it.”

Ryan looks down.  “Yes Mr. Ramsey.”

~

Lunch hadn’t been much better for Geoff and Ryan.  They’d gone to a McDonalds, and Ryan hadn’t ordered much, just a kid’s meal despite Geoff insisting he could get an adult portioned meal (he really needed to gain some weight). 

Ryan finished his food pretty quickly, scarfing it down, getting a few refills on his soda after being assured they were free.  

“So Ryan, anything fun you’d like to do?  We’ve got the rest of the day to kill; me and Jack won’t need to take you home until about eight.” Geoff says smiling.

The kid shakes his head.  “No Si-… Mr. Ramsey, you can just take me back to your place.” Ryan says, looking down again, trying hard not to look Geoff in the eyes.

“You sure kiddo?  I mean, we could go to the park, go to the movies, or I dunno, anything really.  Seriously, we don’t mind, we want to hang out with you and get to know you better man.” Geoff says smiling.  He really meant that too.  The extent of his interactions with Ryan had thus far been “yes sir” or “no sir”.   

Ryan nods.  “Yes, I’d just like to go to sleep if that’s all right?” he says, still not looking Geoff in the eyes.

Geoff internally sighs, but nods his head.  “Sure thing kiddo.”

Jack walks in, carrying a few bags from target filled with various articles of clothing.  Ryan looked away from him, and Geoff noticed that he was biting his lip.  Hard.

“Ryan?  You ok?” Geoff asks, seeing he’s stressed out.

“Mr. Ramsey, you don’t have to spend so much money on me, please…” he says, now deflating back into his chair.

Geoff gives him a puzzled look, and starts looking for signs, anything…  It was hard, the kid wasn’t opening up.  Though one thing was clear, he seemed very uncomfortable with the topic of money or them spending it on him.  The t-shirts had been on sale, the meal he bought the cheapest possible.

They’d have to have a talk that night.

~

Jack and Geoff sat down on the couch, Ryan already in bed, him having gone to bed almost immediately when they got in at four.  Geoff didn’t want to push the kid too hard, and let him be for now. 

“So, is it just me, or do we have an unusually unselfish kid on our hands for a drug case?” Jack says, looking at Geoff.

Geoff nodded.  “Yeah, he’s wound up tight about money for some reason; I caught that in the restaurant.  I went through his files, and they were poor, but usually kids want to get better stuff in these kinds of situations.  Ryan?  He’s avoiding it like the fucking plague.”

Jack sighed.  “Should we ask Dunkelmen?”

Geoff shook his head.  “No, I have her notes and already texted her about it.  This is something that we’ve done, and I can’t help but think about everything we’ve said.  Did he say anything in the room with you while I talked to her?”

Jack shook his head.  “Nope, he just sat on the bed and didn’t say a word.  I explained that it was his room and that he could do anything he wanted with it so long as he didn’t destroy anything, but I never mentioned anything about our finances.  I don’t think he could comprehend it anyway.”

Geoff sighed now.  “We’ll talk to him in the morning.  He’s probably exhausted from everything, so let’s not overwhelm him.  Besides, we both know that relationships don’t form overnight.  We’ll just give him time.”

Jack agreed, and the two of them went their separate ways for the night.

~

Geoff couldn’t sleep again, though this time for a different reason.  He wanted to go into Ryan’s room and talk with him.  It was nearly four AM though, and he certainly didn’t want to wake the kid up if he was sleeping.  He knew what that kid was going through and thinking, and wanted more than anything to be there for him, but knew that sleeping was one of the few times that the kid would ever get true peace of mind.

Still…

“I wish he’d talk to me.” He says openly, adjusting himself on the pillow.

A small knock is on his door.    

“Come in.” he says, watching as the door opens, and Ryan is there, in plain white T-shirt and Ninja Turtle pajama bottoms. 

Geoff wishes he wasn’t shirtless and showing off some of his more revealing and child-innapropriate tattoos, but the kid would see it soon enough anyway, no need in worrying about it now.

“Mr. Ramsey, I’m sorry to bother you, but I heard that you were awake…” Ryan says.

Geoff smiles.  “Ryan, you can talk to me anytime you want.  ANY time, no matter when, come here.” He says, patting on the bed.  Ryan sits on the far edge of the bed, away from Geoff.

“Mr. Ramsey…  I’m sorry you had to buy me all these clothes, please take them back tomorrow, I can go to school in the pony hoodie, it’s not that bad.” He says, nearly in tears.

Geoff gets up and sits next to him on the bed, putting his arm around his shoulder.  “Ryan, why are you so worried about our money?”

Ryan sniffs a bit, trying not to cry.  “Well, I know how these…  Homes work.  My mom and dad told me, and so did the kids in the…  Other house.”

Geoff has a puzzled look.  “Well, how do these homes work?”

Ryan kicks his feet back and forth.  “You guys get paid to keep me.  If I cost more than you get to keep me, then you don’t make any money.  If you don’t make any money then I go back home… ” he says pausing for a moment, his mind wild, him now breathing a bit more heavily.

“I don’t want to go back Mr. Ramsey, so please…  Please…. Take the clothes back!  I can live with just a few shirts!  I can eat bread and water too!  Just…  Just whatever is the easiest!” he exclaims, clearly distraught over all of it.

Everything clicks in his head now, and he kicked himself for not explaining more about the program.

“Ryan, did Ms. Dunkelmen not tell you about our program here?” Geoff says, still maintaining his contact with the kid.

Ryan nods.  “Yea, but…  That’s just a story, right?  The other kids said our parents get us back all the time.  I can still get sent back, right?” he says, his voice trembling.

Geoff picks the kid up, putting him in his lap, hugging him hard from behind. 

“Listen to me Ryan, I’m going to let you in on some grown up secrets.  In this house, you’re not here for just a little while, and you’re not here so we can get money.  There is no money to be made on you, Jack and I don’t even think like that.  What we are here?  We’re a family.  You are our kid now, and we’re going to love you like you should be loved.  Nobody in this world can take you away from us unless you want to leave, and I promise you that we will take care of you as long as you want us around.  Don’t you EVER worry about money again, because me and Mr. Patillo are smart men.  We know how to handle money, and we’re not ever going to spend too much if we don’t have it.  So when we say for you to buy something, we want you to buy it.” Geoff says, seeing the kid is now calming down a bit.

“Do you have any questions Ryan?  I’ll tell you anything, no holds barred.” Geoff says.

Ryan thinks for a minute, but turns his attention directly into Geoff’s eyes.  “Can I really stay here?  I mean, as long as I want?  I don’t have to go back home?”

Geoff nods his head.  “Yep.  We’ll take care of you and be here for you every night and every day.  Don’t you ever worry about that.   You only go back if you want to, and you can tell Ms. Dunkelmen that if you’re not happy here.”

Ryan smiles.  “So…  This is really my new home like she said?”

Geoff nods.  “Yep.”

Ryan lets a few tears fall down his cheeks.  “Thank you Mr. Ramsey…”

Geoff gives Ryan a little noogie.  “For god’s sake, call me Geoff, you’re making me feel old.”

Ryan giggles a bit.  “Ok, Geoff.”

Ryan hugs him tightly, and Geoff returns it two-fold.  “Are those real?” he says, pointing at the tattoos. 

Geoff nods.  “Yes they’re real, and no you can’t have one until you’re eighteen.”

Ryan and him both laugh, Ryan laying down next to Geoff and falling asleep in his arms.  Geoff sleeps too, for the first time in about a week.

______________________

(2 Months Later)

“So Ryan, how are things going?” says Barbara, on her fourth official visit to the Home Hunters since putting Ryan in their care, it having been a few weeks since she had a serious one and one with him in private.  She was alone with him, and Geoff and Jack were in the other room, away from him in case of any problems.  Not that she expected any, Geoff and Jack were two of the best social workers they had before they left for the Home Hunters program.

“Good Ms. Dunkelmen!” Ryan says smiling. 

Barbara smiles at that, noticing that he’s not nearly as skinny as he was coming in, and she can see some life in his eyes. 

“So Ryan, what do you do with Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Patillo?” she says, pulling open her notebook.

Ryan smiles again.  “Jack takes me to school every morning and picks me up.  Geoff meets us in the park, and we go fishing sometimes!” he says excitedly.  “Geoff also is teaching me how to play video games so I can pwn all the noobs!” he says even more excitedly.

Barbara suppresses snorting at that statement.  “So how about eating?  Do you get enough food?”

Ryan nods, but grimaces a bit.  “Yeah, but I hope they get enough.  When I finish my plate, they give me their extras cuz they say don’t want to get fat.”

 _Good._  Barbara thinks, the kid still needed a bit more weight.

 “And how about school?  Is everything going ok there since you moved?” she asked, secretly sighing inside, knowing how hard it would probably be, him not having done very well in school prior to the move.

“Well…  I’m not very smart, but Jack is helping me with math homework, and Geoff helps me spell and write.  I’m making B’s now!” he says proudly.

Barbara smiles at that, she’d have to check into the school with that to confirm. 

“How about your friends, Kerry and Miles?  Is everything ok with them?” she asked, secretly fretting over that, since friendships were hard to maintain with transitions.

Ryan nodded his head though.  “Um…  Kerry comes over sometime to play Nintendo, but Miles’s mom doesn’t like Geoff, so he hasn’t been over that many times.”

Barbara chuckled, she’d have to call Miles’s mother or drop her a letter informing her of Geoff’s position in the agency.  Though she didn’t blame her though, Geoff was quite a character.

“So anything you want to tell me Ryan?  I’m here for you just like Mr. Patillo and Mr. Ramsey are, and I don’t want you to think you can’t tell me anything.” Barbara says, hoping to make the kid sound safe.

“Umm…  Well, there is one thing I wanted to ask you…” he says, looking down, blushing.

Barbara’s curiosity spikes.  “What?”

~

Geoff sees as Barbara comes out of Ryan’s room with Ryan in tow.  “Well, Mr. Ramsey, I can see that everything is going wonderfully, so I’ll leave you to it.  Oh, but can I speak with you a minute in private?”

Geoff gets a bit nervous, Jack sharing his expression.  Ryan sits down next to Jack, picking back up the puzzle they’d been working on that morning.  Geoff walks outside with Barbara, and the two shut the door behind them, stepping out on the porch and into the summer heat. 

“Mr. Ramsey, I’m glad to see Ryan doing so well.  He’s really getting into a good routine, and I’m glad to see it.  Long way to go, but I can sense cracks in that outer shell going down.” She says, smiling. 

Geoff nods his head.  “Yeah, he’s not there yet, but we’re working on it.  He still won’t tell us everything we wants or needs, and he’s way too damn polite.”

Barbara chuckles.  “Oh, and that reminds me, Ryan did ask me something personal.”

Geoff turns his head to her.  “Oh, what’s that?”

She puts her hand on Geoff’s shoulder.  “He wanted to know if he could call you Dad.  I told him of course you could, but you might make him feel better about it.”

Geoff’s heart melts as she walks away from the Home Hunters house, him smiling.

_Griffy…  I’m doing something right.  Finally._

_\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

 


	2. Michael's Trust

Chapter Two - Michael's Trust

_“Geoffrey Ramsey, did you even TRY to talk things out?! I don’t know what gets into you sometimes!” the principal says angrily, a teenage Geoff sitting in the man’s stuffy office. It’s like a prison cell in there. Peeling light blue paint, cold tiled floors, a creaky desk and ancient chairs from the school’s founding decades ago. It’s dark, with only hints of light coming through the caged windows._

_Geoff has a growing bruise on his right eye, from a fight earlier in the day. In an oversized shirt, Geoff is still ridiculously skinny, but has been out of his first home for a few years, now living with Jack in an small local orphanage. The people there wouldn’t even care about this, and the Principal knew it, which made it hard to discipline any of the kids from there._

_There was no consequence for their actions. They could release their frustration and anger out on the world however they wanted. Society let them. Society expected it of them. Society gave zero fucks._

_“I just don’t know what to do with you Geoffrey. This is your third time in my office this year for fighting, and as much as I want to suspend you for this, I think we both know what good that would do!” he says, now rubbing his face in frustration. The principal of the school was a fat, aged and balding man, barely taller than five feet. Geoff didn’t hate him though, he knew what was up._

_Geoff looks at the principal in the eyes and with a cold seriousness said. “They kicked Jack. They spat on Griffy.”_

_The principal lets out a sigh. “I know son.. I know…”_

_Geoff shifts in his seat, not sure what to expect out of this, putting his head down and staring at the cracked tile his foot was standing on._

_“Geoffrey… I need you to believe something, and I want this to stick with you.” The principal says, in a soft voice._

_Geoff raises his head up and looks into the man’s eyes._

_“I promise you this, with all my heart Geoffrey. I promise that I will NEVER let anything happen to you, Jack, or Griffon while you are in my halls. I cannot be there to stop things from occurring every second of the day, but I need you to believe that I will deal with the problems that come at you. Let me help you! You don’t have to fight the world by yourself!” he exclaims._

_Geoff doesn’t adjust his vision or his tone. “Yes.. Yes, I do.”_

~~~~

“DAD! STOP IT! THAT’S CHEATING!” screams Ryan, pushing Geoff’s shoulder away from him. The two of them are in the living room, Mario Kart 64 blaring loudly on the screen, Geoff having just blue shelled him. Geoff is laughing and slows down a bit so the kid doesn’t fall too far behind.

“All’s fair in love and war kiddo!” he says smiling, ruffling Ryan’s hair a bit.

It had been a few months since Ryan started living with the “Home Hunters” (HH), an organization that Geoff and his foster brother Jack Patillo developed to help children in need of a stable home and loving environment. Ryan was the first child under their protection, and he’d been flourishing much to their hopes. Finally at a normal weight, he was starting to be regular kid again. Ryan would have loud sleepovers with his friends Kerry and Miles, do stuff with his dads, and most importantly? He was smiling again, and it was genuine. Still, Ryan’s heart wasn’t completely mended, and Ryan still tended to retreat back into his own little world sometimes, the fear and anxiety of what might not be there tomorrow lingering overhead.

Tonight though? Tonight was a good night.

Maybe because it was game night, the night all of them would stay up late in their PJ’s since it was the weekend and Ryan didn’t have school. Despite the cool consoles that their buddy Burnie had donated to them, Ryan liked the older stuff.

“I want a rematch!” Ryan says angrily and with a pouty face as Geoff crosses the finish line first, ending the race.

There’s a buzzing sound, and Geoff feels his phone vibrating on the couch behind him, with a familiar ringtone echoing. It was the custom ringtone (Walking on Sunshine) he had setup for Barbara Dunkelman, Ryan’s agent and their connection with the foster and adoption system.

Jack, having been on the couch watching the two of them earlier, grabs the controller from Geoff, tagging in.

“Back in a sec kiddo. You can beat Jack first, he sucks at racing!” Geoff says, hopping up and taking the call outside, Jack giving him a funny face on the way out that made Ryan laugh. Stepping outside , it nearly the middle of May, it was scorching even for the late hours, the air heavy on his body.

Accepting the call, Geoff puts the phone to his ear. “Hello?” he asks.

“Geoff, I have an emergency on my hands, and really could use you guys on this one.” He hears over the phone. Barbara sounded a bit shaken up.

Geoff’s face wrinkles, now concerned. “We’re here Barbara, just let us know what we need to do.”

At their current state in the system without much funding, Geoff and Jack could only take in a few kids at a time. After Ryan got the clear from the agency and on Barbara’s personal recommendation, they were given the go-ahead to allow more into the home. However, Barbara wanted to make sure that the kids chosen for their program wanted into it, or were kids that could really benefit from it the most. Their family dynamic certainly wasn’t typical, that was for sure.

“His name is Michael, he’s five, and… (she takes a deep breath) His father just brutally murdered his mother in front of him, and then took his own life. Alcoholic, he completely lost it. Michael saw all of it close up.” She says, forcing the last part out.

Geoff cringes. “Does he…”

“Yes. He knows exactly what happened. He doesn’t understand it, but he’s quite clear in knowing that she’s gone and his daddy was the one that did it. Worse, this has been an ongoing thing. Apparently, this wasn’t the first time that Daddy hurt Mommy. He says that his Daddy hurt him sometimes too, but Mommy always stopped him.” Barbara says, still calmly, but in a voice of deep concern.

“How’s the kid holding up?”” Geoff asks, trying to control his now aching heart.

“Not well, I’ll explain when I get there. Thank god he’s sleeping now; he’s in my car with me. I’m heading your way, so I’m hoping you can take him. He’s got no one Geoff, I have been calling the entire goddamn country trying to find any living family the last day and a half, but it just isn’t there. If I go much longer, we’ll have to put him into the regular system, and I don’t think it’s right for him, he won’t survive.” She says rapidly, clearly from stress and frustration.

As they’d gotten to know her better, Geoff knew her tone of voice was serious, and she was being completely frank with him. If she said this kid needed them, then he probably did. Barbara was one of the good ones in the agency, Geoff could tell. She took her work more seriously than anyone he’d ever met, and cared about the kids like they were her own.

“Where are you at?” Geoff says, planning things already in his head.

“Dallas, in gridlock traffic of course. I’ve got the paperwork, I’ll do it in your house if you don’t mind and get it in before my deadline tomorrow morning.” She says, him hearing a truck blare its horn in her phone.

Geoff takes a deep breath. “We’ll be ready, you can count on us.” He says, hoping he’s right.

~

“I’m going to have a brother?” Ryan asks as Geoff and Jack finished airing out one of the unused rooms, dusting it off and putting clean sheets on the bed. Ryan was helping insistently too, wiping the surfaces of the room with a damp washcloth.

Geoff smiled at him. “Yep, his name is Michael. He’s five and he’s from Dallas. Michael is kind of like you, since he didn’t have a good home, so be nice to him!” Geoff says sternly, Ryan nodding his head knowingly.

“Ms. Dunkelman will be bringing him by in a few hours, but I’m sure he’s tired, so we’ll let him go straight to bed.” Geoff says, stuffing a pillow into one of its basic white shams.

Ryan smiles shyly. “Do you think we’ll be friends?”

Jack nods. “Yep, I bet he’ll love having a big brother! Who wouldn’t? I sure did.” Jack says, playfully punching Geoff in the arm.

“Do I need to do anything to be a big brother?” Ryan asks.

Geoff looks at the kid and smiles, sitting down on the bed, looking at Ryan on eye level. “Well, just be there if he wants to talk, and listen to him. He might tell you things he wouldn’t ever trust anyone else with! Be his friend, and since you’re the big brother, you have to make sure he’s safe, ok?!” Geoff says officially. Ryan nods his head, taking the information very seriously.

Jack checks his watch. “Wow, kiddo, it’s waaay past your bedtime.”

Ryan gets a pouty look on his face. “DAAAAAAD… I want to stay up and meet my brother!” he says slightly whiny.

Geoff is secretly proud, glad to see him being a TAD selfish for once, and he turns to Jack who’s nodding his head.

“Ok, I guess so. Though are you sure you can stay up that late, he won’t be here for a while!” Geoff says with a doubtful tone.

Ryan nods his head quickly. “YES.”

~

By ten PM, Ryan had long since passed out, snoring softly in Jack’s lap on the couch. Poor trooper had tried so hard to fight his sleep, but he finally had to give in. It was cute though, he was excited, and that was a good sign for him.

A soft knock is heard at the door, and Geoff gets up quietly. Opening the door softly to avoid a creaking noise, Barbara enters the house.

Unlike her first visit, she wasn’t in any professional attire, likely working with Michael long since she clocked out on Friday. She was in a really old college hoodie and in a worn pair of jeans, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. On her shoulder was a really tiny looking kid, still snoozing away peacefully, her other arm carrying her heavy briefcase.

“Good evening Geoff, this poor little guy is still all tuckered out. Care to take him for a bit?” Barbara says, clearly exhausted.

Geoff smiles, and slowly takes the kid from her arms, cradling him. He looked so sweet sleeping, like a little angel. He had curly red hair, all messed up from sleeping in the car, his bangs just barely reaching his eyes. He had on a pair of tiny glasses, all skewed, so Geoff gently takes them off and pockets them into his pajama bottoms to not be a bother for the little tyke. Michael has on a blue onesie cotton sleepwear, the cotton crap they give the kids at the agency for nighttime because they’re cheap. Geoff adjusts the kid a bit, putting him on his shoulder as he sits down, letting the kid sleep with Geoff’s neck as a pillow.

Barbara plants herself onto a nearby chair and lets out a deep sigh, stretching her arms way up in the air. “Thanks guys…”

Jack nodded, smiling a bit. “Barbie, you look stressed. Want a back rub?” he says in a mischevious tone.

Barbara gives Jack a dirty, yet playful look. “Not tonight Patillo, I will end you.”, she says laughing a bit.

Jack and Geoff chuckle, Barbara pulling a huge stack of papers from her bag. “Jesus Christ the stack gets bigger every time, I swear to god I’m going to find the bureaucrat in charge of all this shit and punch him square in the jaw.”

Geoff nods. “It’s ridiculous.”

Jack clears his throat a bit. “So… Michael?”

Barbara sighs deeply. “Not good guys… I’ve managed to get him to trust me a tiny bit, but I’m sure it’s because I slightly resemble his mother. Nothing big either, we just both have blonde hair.”

Geoff starts rubbing the kid’s back in sympathy, wishing he could make all the hurt go away.

“How bad was it?” Jack continues, crossing his legs anxiously.

Barbara starts furiously scribbling on the pages at warp five. “I didn’t see the actual scene, I got called in AFTER it was all said and done, but… “

She pauses for a minute.

“Those fucking cops don’t know a goddamn thing about kids, and I going to make sure these fucking dingbats get what’s coming to them so help me god!” she says in a tone filled with more rage than Geoff thought possible for her to posses.

“They actually left Michael COVERED in his mother’s own blood from head to toe while they waited for me to get there! Said it wasn’t their department to deal with the kids, the assholes. I have never been angrier in my life, but I couldn’t exactly scream either, because Michael just sat there looking at me with these…. GAHHH. Sad eyes that was just begging for me to make the bad dreams go away.”

Geoff sits there silently, still rubbing the kid’s back.

“Are YOU ok?” Jack asks now, knowingly.

Barbara nods, still scribbling furiously. “Yes, I have nothing to even remotely complain about. I didn’t just lose my mom violently in front of me, while she shielded me from a drunken lunatic off his ass. I don’t even know the full story on the dad yet, but I’m sure it will be a hum-dinger!” she says, now putting all of her focus into her work.

They all get quiet for a while, letting Barbara vent to them about the situation, and making small talk as they exchange information on the agency forms. It had been about half an hour when Geoff notices the child in his arms stirring a bit, his eyes flittering open.

“Oh, um… You might want to hand him back; he’s not sure who you are just yet, and Michael tends to-.” Barbara says, standing up and moving towards Geoff quickly.

A now very awake Michael bites Geoff’s hand as hard as his little mouth could muster. The hand that had been soothing the kid earlier.

“MMMMMMMMMMMMMPFH” Geoff reacts, resisting the urge to scream and holding it in, muffling the noise.

“Michael! It’s ok, I’m here, and everything is fine honey!” Barbara says, taking the kid from Geoff, Michael releasing his fangs from Geoff’s hands in the process. Geoff’s hand is bleeding heavily now, the kid having quite a set of teeth on him, and them all engaged on full force.

Michael clings to Barbara, hugging her tightly, not saying a word. “Oh Geoff, I’m sorry, he’s rather nervous around people he doesn’t know right now…”

Geoff is cringing, Jack getting up, softly positioning Ryan as to not disturb him, and rushing to grab a towel from the bathroom. Geoff now sees why Barbara would be concerned about Michael’s adoptability.

“It’s fine…” he says in a strained happy voice, getting off the couch and moving towards the two of them, stopping the bleeding by holding his hand against his night shirt.

“Hi Michael, my name is Geoff, I’m sorry I spooked you!” he says without a hint of remorse, moving to see the kid’s face hiding in Barbara’s shirt. The kid peeks out of Barbara’s hoodie for a second, and Geoff sees the kid has really brown copper eyes, and freckles covering the bridge of his nose. He slowly hands Michael his glasses from his pocket, and the boy puts them on himself, giving Geoff the once over quickly, not quite sure what to make of the man just yet. Typically, five year olds tended to want to be accepted and part of a group, so Geoff felt like he’d soften up with some minor introductions.

Michael looks at him innocently for a second or two, and then proceeds to spit in Geoff’s face.

“Michael! Don’t do that!” Barbara says sternly, Geoff wiping off his face and re-joining the couch, Barbara sitting back down with Michael in her lap, her staring at him in the eyes.

“Michael, this is Geoff, and he’s going to be taking care of you like I told you about.” She says sweetly, fixing his messy hair a bit.

“He’s going to be like a new daddy and take care of you, and be your new best friend!” she says, giving a big smile.

Michael turns away from looking at her. “I don’t need a daddy, I want mommy.” He says, stuffing his face back into Barbara’s chest.

Barbara gets a sad look on her face, and Geoff takes the towel and bandages from Jack having returned from the bathroom, wiping off the blood quickly, and starting to wrap his hands up.

Barbara sits there for a moment, clearly speechless. Geoff can sympathize. No matter how much schooling, no matter how many years in the system, it never gets easier to explain to little kids about their situation. How can you? You can’t even explain it yourself. Worst of all, kids their age wanted answers as to how the world worked and were curious little things. Unfortunate, because the topic of death was one that even adults had a hard time absorbing.

“Michael, I’m sorry. We need somewhere for you to stay safe, and Geoff here is going to take care of you better than anyone else I know! This is best and safest place in the world for you right now.” She says, playing with his bangs softly, hoping the contact would sooth him.

“I DON’T WANT HIM! I DON’T WANT HIM! I DON’T WANT A DADDY! I WANT MOMMY!” he screams, punching Barbara a bit in the shoulders with both hands, finally crumpling back up and hugging her tightly, not letting go of Barbara anytime soon.

She sighs deeply, holding him softly, petting the angry bundle gently as he starts to cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barbara stayed the night in the HH, taking Michael into his room and staying by his side during the night. Once he fell back asleep, she re-joined Geoff who’d been working on her paperwork. It was far into the morning, nearly 2 or 3 AM.

“Thank you Geoff, I wouldn’t have finished them without your help.” She says sleepily, taking a seat at the makeshift dining table in the main room, grabbing a stack of papers unfinished papers immediately to Geoff’s left.

“Poor guy… He wants me to take him home with me, and is calling you all sorts of mean names.” Barbara says, chuckling a bit.

“Oh, am I a doo-doo brain?” Geoff says smiling.

“Oh far from it, you’re a poo poo face.” She says, snorting. “Oh goodness, that one has a mouth on him.”

“He’s got teeth too!” Geoff says holding up his bandaged hand, both of them laughing, though Geoff is well aware that they’re doing it to save themselves from crying.

Jack joins them from the hallway. “Well, Ryan’s in bed now, so are we going to talk about this?” he says, plopping down next to them on a nearby chair.

Geoff and Barbara’s expressions turn a bit more serious. Barbara is the first to break the ice.

“Clearly, we need Michael here. In the few days I’ve had with him trying to find some family, he’s clearly an individual that would be hard to place in any home, foster or otherwise, and orphanages wouldn’t be good for him, he wouldn’t get the specific attention or discipline he needs.” Barbara says, pushing a stray hair out of her head and beginning to furiously fill in boxes on the remaining documents.

“He’s violent and bites, kicks and punches anyone except me or other kids that tries to get near him. Especially older men. My friend Joel from the agency came over after work to help me watch him while I did some calls, and he actually tried to pull a small chunk of his hair out.” She says exasperatedly.

Geoff sighs. “Well, he clearly has an issue with male authority figures. Gee, I wonder why?” he says sarcastically.

Jack begins scratching his beard, deep in thought. “Well… Maybe we could just try and talk the kid through it. Surely he’s not completely unreasonable. As cheap as it is, we could try and bribe him at first, then just break open the trust gates over time.”

Barbara shakes her head. “Not going to work. In fact, the cops had to forcibly drag him out of his house and away from his mother’s body. No matter what they said, did or told him, he was immovable. A rock.”

The three sit in silence for a while, not sure what to say or do.

“Barbara… I don’t know what your days this week are going to be like, but is it pos-“ Jack begins, but is quickly interrupted.

“No Jack, I can’t stay any later than until morning. I’m due back into work tomorrow morning first thing for another child, and I already took several days off to deal with this, my partner Kara picking up the strain. As much as I love Michael and want to be there for him, I have other kids too. I can’t play favorites in my position, and you know that.” She says sadly, still plugging away at the paperwork, not looking up.

Jack sighs, knowing she’s right, rubbing his face in aggravation. In Barbara’s world? Pay special or extra attention to one child, and another child is neglected. Not out of bad intentions, of course, but it’s still neglect. All it takes is one neglected child in a bad situation and something could go wrong. Things DID go wrong. These were their lives at stake too; nothing could be done about it. It was why Geoff and Jack had left the system in the first place, hoping to change it. Why they’d gone “off the grid” so to speak.

Geoff slips back into his chair. “Well, we could just force him. Not my favorite idea, but.. well, maybe things will get better in time.”

The three of them sit there in silence.

_________________

Morning came far too quickly. Finishing up the papers with the combined help of Jack and Barbara, the three of them collapsed on the couches and floor in the living room, not wanting to give Michael a chance at escape if he tried to go out the front door. (A tactic which Barbara had to learn the hard way, per her words.)

Geoff was the first to awaken, him having slept on the floor, giving him a bad neck ache. It was slow at first, but his hearing caught up to his brain, and he swore he could hear angry words.

“No! I’m not your brother!” he hears a fierce sounding Michael say.

Geoff jumps up and motions quickly towards the hallway, seeing Michael’s door opened slightly. He peeks in, seeing that Ryan had already woken up and was talking with Michael who was also awake.

“Oh. I’m sorry, my Dad Geoff said I was getting a brother named Michael.” Ryan says, looking a bit sad, clearly disappointed.

Michael sits there with his arms crossed. “Your dad stinks.” He says with all the venom a little five year old could muster.

Ryan gets an angry look on his face. “NO HE DOESN’T!” he yells back, Michael uncrossing his arms and looking a bit frightened at the bigger male.

“Ryan, that’s enough.” Geoff says softly but with a firm tone, opening the door slowly and walking in.

Ryan looks a tad embarrassed at his outburst, and Michael turns his back to Geoff.

Geoff sits down on Michael’s bed, and turns his attention to Ryan, letting Michael scamper on the other end of the bed. “Ryan, if Michael doesn’t like me, that’s ok, I don’t mind. But I hope he lets me help him. “Geoff says.

Ryan looks up at Geoff. “Is Michael ok?”

Michael still has his head turned back, facing away from the two of them, but peeking at them a bit.

Geoff pats Ryan on the shoulders. “Yeah, he’s fine kiddo. He just needs a place to stay and for someone to take care of him. I think he’s a little scared of me though, but I hope he knows that I’m just here to help him.”

Ryan crawls over to Michael’s side on the bed. “Dad’s not scary at all! He’s really gross sometimes when he burps, but he’s really cool! We play Mario Kart, we go to the park and we do all sorts of fun stuff!” he says excitedly. Geoff can’t help but grin a bit. It was cute seeing Ryan defend his honor.

“Daddies are mean.” Michael says, laying down on the bed now, curling under the covers and covering his body up completely.

Ryan doesn’t move, and Geoff notices him retreating back into his world, memories still fresh in his head. “Yeah… They are.”

Geoff turns his head up a bit at that, now looking at the two interacting in more detail.

“My daddy wasn’t nice either.” Ryan says sadly.

Michael pops his head out of the covers just enough for his eyes. “You just said your daddy was cool.” He says with a pitiful voice, accusing Ryan of lying.

Ryan shakes his head. “Not Daddy Geoff. My other dad. He never really loved me or took care of me.”

Michael gives him a weird look. “You’re dumb. You can’t have more than one daddy.”

Ryan nods his head quickly and gets a firm look in his eyes staring directly at MIchael. “Yes you can! Geoff says we’re a family here! Ms. Dunkelman said it too! ”

Michael pulls himself out of the covers a bit more. “You know Barbie?!” Michael asks excitedly, perhaps finding a shared connection with the boy.

Geoff snickers. Barbara hated that nickname, but let the kids call her that since it was easier to say. Plus, she kind of did look like a Barbie with her hair, so it was easy to remember.

Ryan nodded his head. “Yes! Ms. Dunkelman brought me here and made Geoff and Jack my new dads! She told me that I’d be happy here, and she was right! Barbie doesn’t lie Michael, I promise!”

Michael seems to be thinking for a few moments, not sure what to say, still processing the information, his little brain on overload.

Geoff doesn’t say or do anything, just sits there and lets Michael talk it out with Ryan. Ryan seems to be the one doing the best with Michael, no need in pushing unnecessarily. Kids were usually more open with other kids, though unwittingly, Ryan seems to have poked Michael’s trust with Barbara and extended it to him.

After he and Ryan go back and forth a few more times, talking about Barbie and their parents, Michael pulls on the back Geoff’s shirt, getting his attention.

Geoff looks down, while Michael looks up at Geoff. His eyes are piercing Geoff’s very soul, as if hoping to see something in the man. The copper eyes are shaking a bit, trying so hard to focus. Looking so hard… For what?

“Michael? Do you want to ask me something?” Geoff finally says, speaking to the child.

Not breaking eye contact for a minute, the kid finally spits it out. “I don’t want a dad.”

Geoff doesn’t bat an eye, and sees exactly what Michael wants. “That’s fine Michael; I don’t have to be your dad. Can Jack and I be your friends instead? We just want to love you and take care of you. We can be a family without being your dads, and I’m sure Ryan would love having you as his friend too.”

They sit there for a few moments, Michael not responding, but Geoff seeing the kid soften up a bit and loosen the tug on Geoff’s shirt. Slowly releasing it, he crawls back under the covers hiding, not saying much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(One Week Later)

Much to Geoff’s surprise, Michael was actually a really good kid once you got past the biting and slightly infected hand injuries. He yelled and screamed a lot, but Geoff didn’t blame him. He had a lot to yell and scream about, and it was good for him to let it out.

“RYAN! STOP RUNNING SO FAST!” Michael screamed as he and Ryan played tag in the nearby park. It was a small place, just a few boring green benches for parents, a few swing sets, merry-go-round, and other kid gymnastics equipment. It was covered in a really lush green grass, despite the desert that was usually Texas. The city spent a small fortune watering the place, much to Geoff’s happiness. It wasn’t much, but it gave kids a place to play and interact with other people their age, something Geoff wished he had when he was younger.

“Awww. That’s so cute…” a female voice says, sitting next to Geoff on a nearby bench. In a dark green business suit, her hair in its usual long and curly state, Barbara looked her typically professional self this time.

Geoff smiled. “Yeah, you can’t help but love the little pricks.”

Barbara snorted. “How are things going?” she says, opening up her bag and pulling out a small lunch. Even during her breaks, she cared about her kids.

Geoff turned to her. “Well, he’s a handful, has limitless energy reserves, and doesn’t do well with handling anger or situations where he doesn’t get his way. The timeout corner has been getting a lot of use recently, and just this morning he kicked Ryan in the nuts over an imaginary game they came up with.”

Barbara smiled, her expression not changing. “I’m sensing a but coming on.”

Geoff chuckled. “BUT on the whole, he’s getting there with us, and I can see where he’s dying to let us in. Trust isn’t something to be earned quickly, especially considering the events he went through this month. Though I think he’ll bounce back.”

Barbara unscrews a lid from a water bottle, taking a big swig of it. “His behavior?”

Geoff laughs. “He’s acting like a kid should. Kids get into trouble, kids are loud and obnoxious, and kids make mistakes. Michael is a little more rowdy than most, but he’ll get there.”

Barbara finishes up the water and pulls out a small sandwich baggie. “How’s he handling his mom?”

Geoff shakes his head. “He misses his mom and really can’t grasp the concept of death well, but he keeps asking us to explain it to him. We tried explaining it, but it’s not something a five year old can really understand yet. He still cries a lot about her, but we just let him come to us if he needs support. If we force it on him, he just yells at us and hides in a corner. He does come to us though, although he seems more comfortable around Jack with the crying. Jack handles the emotional shit better than me.”

Barbara laughs at the statement. “I could see that.” She says, now taking a big bite of her sandwich, and with a mouthful, continues their discussion. “And… The… Abuse?” she says, almost choking on her food.

Geoff sighs. “The bruises are pretty much gone. A few things here and there are still tender, but he’s bouncing back. That fucktard did a real number on him, his mom really did save his life that night.”

Barbara swallows finally.

“You guys done the other tests?” she asks, now attacking an apple.

Geoff nods. “Yeah, he’s developed pretty normally otherwise. No preschooling, but he knows his alphabet and grasps counting up to fifteen with limited knowledge on addition, but I’m sure we can enroll him in Kindergarten after the summer is over. We might try some minor lessons in the summer, but I doubt he’ll sit down for it. Socially thought, Ryan’s been a good help to him with that, so I think he’s even starting to know how to act around other kids too.“

Barbara nods. “Yes, and kicking a kid in the nuts is a very socially acceptable thing.”

Geoff gives her an irritated work. “Hey! Work in progress here, it’s been a week!”

She giggles. “Oh but Mr. Ramsey, I’ve been expecting him to be in perfect condition! You’re a few days behind schedule in fact!”

They both laugh at the joke.

“BARBIE!” screams an excited Michael running up towards her and hugging her excitedly.

“Why hello there Michael, how are you doing today?” she asks.

He looks up irritated. “Poo poo head made me sit in time out!” he says in a whiny voice.

Barbara gives him a stern look. “I heard you kicked Ryan in his private parts. That wasn’t very nice!” she says in a motherly scolding.

Michael blushes. “I said sorry.”

~~~~~~~~

A week or so since their episode in the park with Barbara, Geoff was sitting comfortably in the HH house. Jack had taken Ryan out to see a movie to celebrate the end of school, and Michael didn’t want to go, so Geoff stayed behind to watch the kid.

The two of them were on the couch, watching a recorded episode of My Little Pony. It was actually a very amusing thing, Michael was embarrassed to death about watching it in front of Ryan (Ryan made fun of him for it, the little prick), but it was something that Michael and his mom had watched a lot of together. So Geoff started recording it in his room, and they’d sit and watch it in the living room when nobody was around, just the two of them. Michael swore him to secrecy, and he accepted.

The horse on screen was doing some really sweet musical number with a rabbit, and Geoff couldn’t help but notice how big Michael was smiling, his eyes not leaving the screen for a second. Michael never smiled like that, so it was comforting to see him in that state..

“Do you like that pony?” Geoff asks, seeing Michael nod his head. “Yeah.. I love Fluttershy.”

Geoff doesn’t poke, and lets the kid sit there and finish his show, he’d talk later, no need in rushing things.

“Fluttershy was like my mom.” He says.

Geoff looks down at the kid who’s still entranced by the television. “Oh? Why?”

“Mom was always scared like her, but she’d sing, cook or play with me to make it go away.” Michael says, in a slightly sadder tone now.

Geoff’s heart drops to his gut.

“What about you? Were you scared too?” Geoff asks, seeing if Michael would let him in a bit here.

Michael nodded. “Yeah.. Daddy was mean. He’d hit mommy and yell at her real loud.”

Geoff decides to dive in head first.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks curiously.

Michael shakes his head, giving Geoff a mean look. “No. I wanna watch ponies.”

Geoff nods his head. “Ok. I’ll be quiet then”

Another time Griffy… Maybe someday we’ll…

“Geoff?” Michael says.

Geoff pops his head up from his internal self, and turns to Michael again, seeing him staring at his feet, his eyes glued to them. “Umm… I still don’t want a daddy. But… Can you and Jackie be my big brothers like Ryan, cuz I do kind of like you guys sometimes… when you don’t make me sit in time out… And when you let me watch ponies and don’t laugh…And you two tuck me in at night too…And tell me funny stories… So….”

Geoff smiles, seeing Michael is embarassed. “We’ll be whoever you want us to be Michael.”

Geoff puts his arm around the kid and tucks him in close, Michael recoiling a bit from the contact, but not taking a chomp out his arm either. Progress? Maybe…

“I’ll be your REALLY big brother then, since I’m Jack’s big brother.” Geoff says smiling.

“Ok…” Michael says reluctantly, but leaning his head slowly into Geoff’s chest, letting it rest.

The two of them sit there together, not saying a word, watching the magical flying Pegasus do some sort of weird chicken thing.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	3. Gavin's Voice

Chapter Three - Gavin's Voice

_“Jack! Jack! JACK PATILLO! WAIT A SECOND!” screams a friendly female voice. It was the end of the school day, and students were coming and going quickly in the hallways, creating traffic jams in the overpopulated school. The small Austin high school was a typical school, with bright red lockers lining the hallways, tan tiled floors, and the walls littered with classrooms. Jack was grabbing recently checked out books from the library and stuffing them into his worn and tattered duffle bag. They were large volumes, since it would be a long three day weekend, and he’d have nothing better to do._

_Hearing the voice, he turns and sees that it’s none other than his English teacher, Mrs. Thompson. The woman was in her late thirties, with golden brown hair down to her shoulders, her in a pair of khakis with a floral top. Jack blushed a bit, she was really pretty and all the guys had a crush on her._

_“Jack, I’m so glad I caught you before you went home…” she says, slightly out of breath, having jogged the last bit to him._

_Jack turns to her, not saying a word, waiting to hear was she has to say._

_“Listen, we had the discussion in class, but I was so surprised that you didn’t sign up! You do such lovely work in my class, it would be a shame if you didn’t participate.” She says, smiling at him._

_“I’m busy.” He lies, avoiding her gaze. She had put up a small flyer in her class for a drama club the school wanted to start. Some sort of cultural awareness thing the principal wanted to promote._

_Mrs. Thompson doesn’t bat an eye. “Jack Patillo, your friend Griffon informs me that you spend the better part of every evening stuck up in your room reading, or out with that brother of yours being his designated driver on his drunken shenanigans. I’m not going to believe that you’re busy for a moment.” She says now with a snarky voice._

_Jack still averted his gaze. “I don’t want to do it.” He says curtly._

_If there was one thing Jack had learned in life, is was that being quiet, staying in the corner and not moving made life a whole lot easier. Why put yourself out there? It just attracts unwanted attention from people that don’t care about you. Even worse, it might bring people near to you that want to hurt or crush you. No… Fighting the world was Geoff’s shtick, Jack was content to live in the shadows like he was supposed to._

_“Well… I can’t make you join the club Jack, but Griffon told me to mention that Geoff would be crushed if she told him about “the thing”.” Mrs. Thompson says, now with a grin similar to the Cheshire cat._

_Jack looks at her face now. “Are you blackmailing me?” he says with an irritated tone._

_Mrs. Thompson shakes her head. “Nooooo, what on earth would give you that idea?” she says in a voice of complete shock._

_Jack looks down crestfallen. Drama club. Seriously? Of all things that Jack would want to avoid like the plague, it was THAT._

_“Jack, I just want to bring you into the spotlight if you’ll let me.” She says, touching his shoulder gently._

_Jack shakes his head in disgust, not about to let “the thing” get anywhere near Griffon’s lips while Geoff was around. “Whatever, I’ll join.”_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had finally turned into the month of July, and the HH was rather peaceful for once. Ryan and Geoff were going fishing early in the morning, and weren’t up to their usual shenanigans in the living room. Jack was in his own bedroom, enjoying the silence, reading whatever the new release at the library was. This week it was some story about a girl fighting to the death in an arena, but she’s faking a love thing with some guy who threw bread at her?

“Jackie… I can’t sleep…” Michael says, slowly swinging Jack’s door open without knocking.

Michael was in much better sleeping attire now, in athletic shorts and a T-shirt instead of the ridiculous thing that the agency had originally sent him with. They’d also finally managed to get his attention long enough in some stores to get him outfitted in regular clothes, though it was a more difficult battle than Ryan, since Michael still wasn’t good around strangers, and had made a few clerks flee in terror as he screamed at them.

“Hey buddy, come on in!” Jack says, putting his book down, and patting the side of his bed. Michael hopped up and curled up next to Jack. Whatever Geoff had did with the kid, Michael was a lot more trusting now, and would let them get closer now. Getting a closer look, Michael had red eyes, him having been clearly crying.

“Bad dream?” Jack says, Michael nodding his head up and down.

“Well, I’m here now, so nothing bad is going to hurt you.” He says softly, letting Michael lay down next to him. He’d probably sleep with Jack that night, and Jack certainly didn’t mind. It was a good step for Michael, and he was slowly beginning to trust them. Slowly.

Michael doesn’t say anything, and just closes his eyes. He still wasn’t one for talking about himself or his feelings, so Jack just let the guy lay there.

“Jackie, can you tell the wolf girl story again?” Michael says.

Jack smiles. “Of course Michael.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Jack and Michael were eating a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, a pancake and orange juice. Michael had insisted on coffee like Jack, but that shit was so not going to fly. He’d given him an angry face, but Jack was unmoved by his tongue.

Taking his first sip of the warm concoction, Jack feels his jeans buzzing. Putting his mug down, he fishes it out and answers it.

“Hello?” he asks

“Jackie-poo! How much do you love me?” says Barbara.

Jack rolls his eyes a bit. “That is a terrifying statement for any woman to make Barbie.” Jack says, adding in her nickname to combat his.

“Well toughen up soldier, I need you at the front lines today.” She says in a playful tone.

Jack stands up, patting Michael on the shoulders. “Be right back kiddo.” He says, stepping into the living room for a moment.

“Ok, what’s up?” he says, now out of Michael’s range of hearing.

“I have… A case for you. Not a long term one, but I saw where you excelled in the agency with special needs kids.” Barbara says.

Jack gets a slightly confused look on his face. “Huh? Barbara, I’m not a social worker anymore, you can’t pawn your kids off on me unless they’re here for the long run!” he says, in a professional tone. Not that Jack didn’t want to help the kid, it was just… Well, they had their hands full already, and any extra projects that weren’t on the HH’s long term goals would be distracting. The whole point of the HH was to give special attention to kids that needed it. Kids like Michael and Ryan.

“Jack, I just want you to interact with the kid today and tell me what you think. I want your professional opinion, and nothing more. We’ll spend the day together, I’ll help you with Michael, and I’ll go from there!” she says with her bubbly voice. “Heck, just consider it a play date for Michael, and we’ll let the two hang out and socialize a bit.” She says, now having Jack in a corner.

Jack rubs his forehead. “What exactly am I getting myself into?”

Barbara shuffles some papers over the phone and clears her throat a bit. “His name is Gavin. He and his parents are originally from England, but got their citizenship sometime sixteen years ago. The two of them passed away in a car accident this week, and he’s not got any family to speak of. We called the embassy in England, and according to them, the Free family’s remaining member is an elderly woman in a nursing home unfit to care for him. He’s well off, and they have enough of an inheritance and life insurance that the kid will never have a problem in life. He’s been with me for about three or four days now, and I can tell that’s he’s a pretty high functioning kid and very obedient. Not a hard case at all.” She says proudly.

Jack is puzzled again. “So then… Why am I being asked for help?” Jack says in a confused tone.

Barbara sighs again. “Well… He won’t talk. At all.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Who’s he?” Michael says, standing beside Jack and crossing his arms as Barbara walks in with Gavin. Michael and Jack had gotten dressed, Jack in a Polo and Jeans to look a tad more fatherly, with Michael in a Jersey and athletic shorts, looking like some miniaturized basketball player. Still, it was what he wanted, so Jack and Geoff didn’t argue.

Barbara was in a coca-cola red T-shirt and jeans, her hair up in a ponytail. She’d obviously taken some time off for her kids again, otherwise she’d never be so casual looking.

“Hi Michael! This is Gavin, and he’s going to play here today!” she says happily, holding Gavin’s hand.

Jack looks the kid over. He was probably Michael’s age, though a tad shorter. He had golden-brown hair, a bit messily sticking up in the front. He had on a really nice name brand purple polo shirt, and really short shorts that looked like some really fancy prepschool attire. Yep, that kid had nothing to worry about; he was a product of fine breeding and was cute to look at. He’d find a home almost instantly.

“Gavin, this is my friend Jack, and I’d like the two of you to play together today, ok?” she says in her sweet tone of voice. Gavin nods his head up and down, but not saying a word, his gaze not moving either.

Barbara takes his hand and slowly moves it to Jack. Jack takes his hand, and Gavin slowly walks to his side, in an almost robotic manner.

Michael comes over and inspects the new boy quickly, him having a suspicious face on him, not quite sure how to take someone his own size.

“Michael, would you like to do something together?” Barbara says patting him on the shoulder. Michael turns around. “Ok Barbie…” he says,

~~~~~

Jack had taken Gavin back to his room, with the door still open for Barbara’s peace of mind, who was over in Michael’s room next door drawing pictures together. He knew she’d never say anything, but it was still nerve-wracking to leave little kids in complete isolation with a stranger. It was more for Gavin’s benefit than anyone else’s really.

“Gavin, my name is Jack, and I’m one of Barbara’s friends. I’d just like to hang out with you today, is that ok?” he asks politely, watching as the kid nods his head up and down.

“First off, can I ask you some questions?” Jack says, the kid once again nodding his head.

“Do you know your ABCs?” Jack asks curiously, hoping the kid would answer him. Gavin silently nods.

“Can you SING your ABCs for me? I bet you can’t!” Jack says, ushering a friendly challenge to the boy, hoping to pull it out of him. Gavin shakes his head no.

Jack internally sighs, seeing where this is going.

“So Gavin, what do you like to do? Do you want to play a game?” Jack says, watching the boy look around Jack’s room a bit, then focusing on the bookshelf in the corner, eyeing it longingly, but eventually shrugging his shoulders and looking at his feet, with a face of defeat.

Jack stands up from the bed, knowing exactly what the kid wanted. Up high on one of his bookcases, he pulls out a book he’d been using with Michael the last few nights, a gift from the writing and animation staff of his friend Burnie’s company. It was a leather bound book of modernized fairy tales, and was in full color cel shaded artwork, an original work that only the HH had. A shame, because it was fantastic and kids loved it.

“Gavin, do you want me to read you a story? The boy you met in there, Michael? He likes the stories, so I’m hoping you do too.” Jack says softly, giving Gavin a friendly grin.

Gavin smiles a bit and nods his head with an excited “yes”. It was clear that he enjoyed stories

Jack sits down on the bed, propping himself up on the headboard. “Come sit here Gavin.” Jack says, watching Gavin immediately crawl next to him, then looking up at him expectantly. The eyes weren’t of excitement, but rather.. Was he following an order? Barbara had mentioned that the kid was unusually obedient, as if… Well, like he was some sort of little soldier.

Jack rubs Gavin’s head a bit, and cracks open the book to where he’d left off with MIcahel.

“Gavin… This is the story of Weiss, the princess with the most beautiful voice in all of the world..” Jack says, watching as Gavin’s eyes are planted firmly on the picture of the pretty girl in the white dress.

Jack turns the page from the title’s picture, and begins the story.

“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Queen named Weiss. She had the most beautiful voice in the world, and was loved throughout her entire Queendom. People would come from miles around to her to see her perform within the walls of her elegant white castle. She was a maiden of the fairest complexion, with hair that glowed like the moon on the clearest of nights.” Jack says, letting Gavin look at the pretty picture. It was a wonderful image, with the beautiful Queen Weiss in the center of a well lit stage, mid-song, her beautiful white dress fluttering in the wind, complimented by the fierce red interior of the jacket she wore.

Jack turns the page once Gavin nods his completion with it.

“But what the world did not know was that Weiss had a secret. A lonely secret that only she could keep, a burden placed upon her by her family. Her voice was cursed! Bringing her pain and sorrow each time she sang a single word. Transported into a magical world of her mind, she would do battle with a fierce knight of darkness that would try and take her from the world.” Jack says, leaning the book over to let Gavin see it. The scene was much darker than the first image, an empty suit of knight’s armor in black nearly three times Weiss’s size holding a gigantic sword, kneeling before her, preparing to strike. What had been a beautiful stage was now a dark and lightless cathedral, with many bars trapping her within it, caged like a bird.

Jack turns the page, noticing that Gavin didn’t like the scary knight.

“But why then, would Weiss sing every night? Why would she willingly let people into her castle and then sing for them, smiling sweetly throughout the entire song? Would it not be safer for her to silence her voice forever? The nightmare would end, and she wouldn’t have to fear the dark knight anymore.” Jack says, seeing Gavin get a bit sad at the picture. It was a picture of Weiss in the light of the moon on the stage, looking scared and lonely, but still singing, with her hands outstretched to both sides.

Jack turns the page, seeing that Gavin was nodding his head.

“Weiss knew the joy she had in singing, and saw that it brought the people of her Queendom great happiness. The applause she received every night, with the kind words of those nearest to her? That was enough to strengthen her resolve.” Jack says, smiling at the picture himself this time. The pretty princess was holding a sword in her hands, a beautiful fleuret with many colored diamonds in the hilt, the sword being held in front of her face, her expression one of pure determination. It was a powerful message in the picture, one that said “fuck you, I’m about to mess all your shit up”. Though Jack left that part out for Gavin. He turns the page again.

“Instead of fearing the knight and the curse she under, Weiss fought them. To bring joy to those of her Queendom, and to not allow her curse to control her, Weiss would do battle in her own mind each night as she sang. With sword in hand, and magic in her heart, she entered combat with the dark knight, fighting him relentlessly to repel him from her mind.” Jack said, seeing Gavin’s face light up with the picture. This one was really amazing and in vibrant color. Weiss’s sword was glowing red with magic, repelling an attack from a sword several thousand times over its size, shards of solid blue ice shooting from behind Weiss, her hand producing them from a magic circle in the shape of a snowflake. She was fighting back, and winning.

Jack turns the page, seeing Gavin’s excited face.

“The battles were not easy, and Weiss did get hurt often. Fighting alone, in a world where none could save her? It was scary, and the knight was strong. Weiss did not falter though. The smiles of her Queendom’s subjects as she sang, and her own heart yearning to overcome her curse, she always found the strength to get back up after being knocked down.” Jack says, seeing Gavin’s expression turn a little more scared. The picture had a lot to do with that. Weiss’s forehead was bleeding, streaking down her face, with her body struggling to get up, the knight charging towards her quickly, sword in hand.

Jack turns the page, seeing Gavin a little frightened by the blood.

“But Weiss knew the greatest power of all, a power that everyone can use. A power that can triumph over evil, give strength to the weak, and destroy fear in a single blow. It is truly a power that none can match, and one which the dark knight knows nothing about.” Jack says dramatically, smiling again at the picture. Weiss was flying in the air, her sword glowing with solid white runes down the blade, her face showing the same determination he’d seen earlier, the blood still running down her face.

Gavin nods quickly, wanting Jack to turn the page.

“Weiss had hope. Hope that one day her curse would be gone forever, and hope that her voice would bring peace and happiness to her Queendom and to the world. Hope for a brighter tomorrow and her happy ending to come. It is with hope that Weiss slays the knight each evening, and it is with hope that she stands on the stage in the bright lights, always eager and happy to share her gift with the world.” Jack says, seeing Gavin’s face smiling. Weiss was flying through the knight, her sword leaving a white streak through him, cutting him in half, slowly dissolving into snowflakes, as a transparent Weiss is singing gleefully on the other side of the page.

Jack turns to the last page of Weiss’s story.

“So long as we have hope, we can accomplish anything in our lives, for it is hope that drives us to tomorrow. And so, Weiss continues to fight, with the hope for the day where her curse would be broken.” Jack finishes, seeing Weiss curtseying to the reader on the stage, smiling sweetly, without a hinge in remorse in her performance.

Gavin is smiling, touching the picture in awe.

“Did you like the story Gavin?” Jack asks, seeing him nod his head excitedly.

“What was your favorite part?” Jack says, seeing his mouth open slightly, but shutting just as quickly. He flips through the pages, showing the picture of Weiss slashing the knight.

Jack smiles, but his heart breaks too. “I liked that one too.” He says with a hinge of sadness.

Gavin is flipping through the pages, looking for another story, pointing excitedly at another page.

“Oh, you want to read more?” Jack says smiling.

Gavin nods his head quickly, pointing at the page.

“Ok then Gavin. This is the story of Yang, the girl who’s beauty burns like the sun’s golden rays…” Jack says, beginning the next chapter in the book.

~~~~~

“Dad, it’s really hot.” Ryan says, sweating profusely, wiping the water from his forehead. Even in the later morning and under the shade of a nearby tree, Texas was blistering. Despite being in a T-shirt and shorts, Geoff could tell Ryan was dying.

Geoff laughed a bit. “Sorry bud, wanna call it a day?” he says, adjusting his ridiculous hat with dozens of lures attached, and fanning his head a bit. Geoff was in similar attire to Ryan, deciding to forgo jeans today. Exposed on his legs now were another long set of tattoos, though not as intricate as his arms and not near as many.

Ryan shakes his head. “No! I want to catch something first.” He says insistently. Geoff nods, and the two continue in peaceful silence.

“Hey Dad, when’d you get all those tattoos?” Ryan asks, reeling in a line out of frustration.

Geoff laughs. “When I was a teenager and in college. I got a few more about a year ago too.” He answers honestly.

“Did it hurt?” Ryan asks curiously, casting the line out gracefully. Geoff had noticed how good the kid had gotten over the last couple of trips. Much improved than his first trip, though he still needed to work on his patience in letting the line sit in the water.

“The first one did. If my friend Griffon hadn’t been there, I probably would have pansied out after the first line.” He said laughing, pointing to one on his forearm.

“After that though, you get used to it, and it really just depends on where you get one done.” Geoff continues, adjusting himself on the boat’s seat.

Ryan stays quiet for a minute or two, birds chirping in the trees nearby, signaling the summer season’s arrival in full force. “So why’d you get them?” Ryan asks.

Geoff smiles. “Well, people get tattoos for a lot of different reasons kiddo. Me? Well, I just wanted something that would help me remember important things in my life. Plus, I think they looked really cool.” Geoff answers. Each tattoo was something precious to him, each one a distinct memory that he’ll never forget.

Ryan nods his head. “They are cool.” He says with all the excitement a young man can muster.

Geoff glances over at him. “Not until you’re eighteen, got it?!” Geoff insisted that again to stress his authority in the matter, but he’d probably let the kid get one a few years earlier than that if he wanted one badly enough and if it actually meant something. He had plenty of time to grow up before he started making big decisions like that.

Ryan laughs. “I know dad!” he says rolling his eyes.

They sit in silence for a while, Geoff beginning to fidget a bit.

Geoff sighs, and pulls of his hat, rubbing his head. “Kiddo, there is one other reason I brought you out here today, and it’s going to be really awkward. Jack and I think it’s time though, since you’re a bit behind the other kids, but it’s probably going to happen soon…” Geoff says, getting to the point of the trip.

Ryan turns to him. “Oh? What?”

Geoff lets out a deep breath. “You’re going to be twelve soon, and you’re overdue for the transformation into being a man. It’s called puberty, and I sort of need to prepare you for this, because it’s going to suck and I remember going through it without any warning. I thought something was seriously wrong with me, and I don’t want that to be you. Plus, I’d prefer you going to school knowing the real stuff, and not the crap they force down your mouth.”

Just as those words are spoken, there is a violent tug on Geoff’s line.

“DAD, you got one!” Ryan says excitedly. “FIIIIIIIIIIIISHH!” Geoff screams excitedly, the codeword for whenever they had one. Geoff grabs the pole and starts trying to reel it in, pulling hard on it, but not budging much. “RYAN! HELP!” he says, and Ryan rushes to his aid in the boat, helping Geoff pull.

Although he notices that they’re getting awfully wobbly in the boat.

~~~~~

Barbara shuts the door to Jack’s room, having sent Michael and Gavin to play in the living room.

“So Jack, what’s the verdict?” she says curiously. She’d seen Jack reading stories to Gavin for the better part of two or three hours, and had hoped he could clue her into something.

Jack sighs. “Barbara, I’m not sure what’s wrong with the kid. He clearly knows and understands things kids that his age should know and more, but he’s just not talking. Could he be mute?” he says, offering another solution.

Barbara shakes her head. “No. I have his medical records, and our office shrink already thought of that. We made sure and checked it out during the doctor’s visit after the accident.”

Jack scratches his beard. “Psychosomatic? Could he be suffering from something we’re not seeing, and using silence as a means to protect himself from it?”

Barbara folds her arms, leaning against a wall. “I don’t know what it could be, he had a great home. They clearly weren’t strapped for money, and his inheritance is nearly six figures, not counting the trust fund for college. Police weren’t watching for them, and the neighborhood says they were the best family around. They were a fine and upstanding family of great value to the community, as a matter of fact.” She says. Barbara had looked at all the angles, she was hoping Jack saw something else outside of the usual agency stuff.

Jack looked down, picking up some really fancy looking leatherbound book.

“I can’t help but feel that something else is wrong. While I read to him, he acted like any normal kid would, and it was adorable. When I’d ask him to do something or insist that he answer a question? It was like he was a different person, following orders to the T, not waiting for even a second to respond. His eyes would go really dark and I’d lose him. He’d just go back into the shadows, not wanting to be seen or heard.” Jack says, letting out a deep sigh, looking down and clutching the book hard.

Barbara looks at him with a worried expression. “Jack?” she says, with a small voice of concern.

Jack’s pained expression is one of memory, and Barbara can see that he’s daydreaming a bit.

Jack shakes his head, coming back to the real world. “Nothing. Listen, let me have more time with the kid. How long we got?”

Barbara shakes her head. “Not long, we’d have to finish it by tomorrow.”

Jack nods his head. “Ok then, bring him back then.”

~~~~~

“Gabbin, stop staring at me!” Michael says again for the third time since they started playing. The other boy was really weird, he wouldn’t stop looking at him!

“Sorry.” Gavin says, looking down.

Michael’s eyes grew big. “Hey! You talk!” he says shocked, covering his mouth and pointing at Gavin. The boy hadn’t talked the whole time they played blocks, and Barbie said that Gavin didn’t speak.

Gavin nods his head. “You look like teddy…” he says sadly.

Michael crumbles his face. “Who’s teddy?” he asks grumpily.

Gavin smiles a bit. “My teddy bear. He’s at Barbie’s home on my bed.”

Michael gets a frustrated look on his face. “I’m not a bear!” he says to Gavin in an angry voice.

Gavin laughs. “Your eyes look like his!” he says sweetly.

Michael rolls his eyes and ignores the boy, continuing to play with the blocks, trying to build a really tall tower, but not having the patience to think things through. He stacks one too high and off to the center, and they all fall down. He makes a huffy breath and kicks the rest of the tower down, fuming.

“I like your daddy.” Gaivn says softly, almost a whisper.

Michael looks at Gavin spitefully. “He’s not my daddy! He’s my big brother.”

Gavin looks at him apologetically. “I’m sorry.” He says in a sad tone of voice.

Michael keeps his grumpy face, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. He doesn’t want to talk to Gavin, he’s so stupid. Michael is not a bear, and Jackie is NOT his daddy.

“I wish I could live here…” Gavin says painfully.

Michael opens his eyes back up. “Why? Geoff’s stinky, Ryan’s a doo-doo head, and Jackie makes me go in time out.” Michael says curiously, but with a little bit of spite in his voice.

Gavin smiles, looking a bit excited. “Your bruv is nice. He read me stories and let me watch the tele’!”

Michael gives him another weird look. “What’s a bruv?” he asks, not hearing the word before.

“Your brother!” he says smiling.

Michael looks at him seriously. “You talk funny.”

Gavin gets a sad look on his face immediately, almost in devastating pain. “I know… I make grown-ups go away….” He whispers sadly, almost in tears.

“Huh?” Michael asks, looking at Gavin like he’s lost it.

He then begins to curiously poke the other boy with questions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barbara re-enters the living room with Jack a while later, seeing Michael and Gavin playing with blocks. Gavin stands up immediately, looking at her, as if awaiting instructions.

“Well Gavin, I guess our day is done! Say goodbye to Michael and Jack real quick, and we’ll head on back to my house, and we’ll get you ready for…” Barbara says sweetly, but stops mid-sentence, noticing the child is turning away from her, Barbara now talking to the back of a head.

Jack goes around Gavin and looks at him in the face, concerned why he’d done that.

“Gavin? Are you ok?” Jack says, seeing the kid’s face turn red, tears welling up in his eyes, him trying everything in his power to not let anything come out of his mouth, but now shaking, his left arm covering his eyes in embarrassment.

~

_“SHUT UP! I’VE TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES! YOU DO NOT BLOODY SPEAK UNLESS YOU ARE SPOKEN TO!” said a loud female voice of British descent. It was Gavin’s mother, them inside their fine house. It was Victorian styled with flawless furnishings, very proper and consisting of many expensive things. Regal hardwood flooring echoed the booming voice, her stomping rattling some of the prettier knick-knacks on the shelves._

_“Mummy….” Gavin says timidly, reaching up for her, him barely four years old, just now starting to try and speak his mind._

_“STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP TALKING! DON’T EVER SAY ANYTHING YOU… YOU… MONSTER!!!!” the woman hysterically screams, now shaking the small child violently._

_“Diane, that’s enough!” a strong male voice says, pulling her away from the child, but the man not looking at “it” either._

_“Carver, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t… Look at it! I don’t want it in this house anymore!” she screams, now sobbing into her husband’s shoulder._

_“Diane… He didn’t do it on purpose, you have to remember that…” he says softly, looking at “it” in pity._

_“It killed its brother! How can I let it stay in this house?!?! IT doesn’t deserve words! It doesn’t deserve to live!” she says still in her dramatic state, flinging her hands wildly and pointing at the boy looking at his feet sadly, him having long since lowered his arms._

_“It wasn’t Gavin’s fault…” he says, looking somberly at a portrait of a strong teenage male sitting on the mantle of their fireplace. He was muscular, with a smiling face and piercing blue eyes. His golden blonde hair matched his mother’s perfectly. He was wearing a soccer outfit, and in one hand was a sports trophy, the other his little baby brother smiling excitedly on his shoulder._

_“Gavin didn’t know the car was coming… Isaac just wanted to save his little brother… Isaac loved Gavin honey, you kn-“_

_“SHUT UP! STOP IT! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!” she says screaming, still filled with grief._

_Gavin walks out of the living room, leaving his parents and going into his nursery room quickly. Taking his teddy bear off his bed, he goes into the closet and closes the door. He didn’t want to hear Mummy and Daddy yelling again. He wished bruv was there…_

_A few hours later, Gavin sees his daddy peek in the closet, getting on his knees and patting Gavin on the head. “Gavin.. Mummy’s very sick right now, I’m sorry… “_

_Gavin tries to reach for his father’s arms seeking desperately for an embrace, but the man pulls away, not letting his son touch him. “Gavin… Mommy will get better, I promise.. Just… Don’t talk anymore. Your words hurt me and Mommy. Just do exactly what we say, and you’ll… You’ll have a home, and we won’t have to send you away.” He says pained, still not looking at the boy in the eyes._

_Gavin’s eyes get wide, understanding the words clearly, but his face drops to the floor, not looking at his father, clutching his teddy bear tightly._

~~~~~~~

“sssss…..” Gavin slightly manages to spew out of his mouth, before closing it again quickly, his lips now trembling in fear.

Michael stands up quickly, and pushes Jack’s face out of the way. He takes Gavin’s hands and looks him in the eye. “Just tell Jackie!!” he says angrily. Jack begins to step in, but Michael slaps his hand away.

“CUZ I SAID SO!” Michael screams now, looking directly in Gavin’s eyes.

Gavin’s mouth is still stuttering, all eyes on him in the room.

“STAY!” He screams loudly in a sweet voice, now running out of the room in tears, Michael following behind him close at hand, both of them locked at the hands.

Jack turns to Barbara, giving her a panicked look, and the two of them chase after Gavin, seeing that Michael’s room is opened, Gavin in a corner, his head in his knees, sobbing.

Michael’s in front of him, giving Jack and Barbara a look of death. “He wants to stay!”

Barbara moves forward, taking Michael’s hand. “Michael, honey, Gavin can’t stay here. He needs to come home with me so we can get him a family like you and Ryan got!” she says, smiling, hoping to reason with him. Michael slaps her hands away and steps back a bit, Barbara shocked at his reaction o her.

“NO! He wants here!” Michael says angrily, moving beside Gavin putting his arms out in a protective stance. “He wants US. Do what he WANTS Barbie.” Michael says in a huffy voice, meaning business.

Jack steps forward, seeing that Gavin still isn’t moving, still sobbing. “STAY!” he hears Gavin spit out again. “PLEASE!” he manages as well, the second work said with all the desperation Jack had ever heard in his life.

Jack gets on his knees, noticing that Michael is still standing protectively by Gavin. Jack didn’t understand it, Michael would have been the last of the people in the house that Jack would expect to stick up for anyone other than himself.

“Michael, why do you want Gavin here?” Jack asks, genuinely curious.

Michael gives Jack a look like he’s the dumbest man on the planet. “Cuz he likes you and Barbie says he has to have a new daddy now. He wants a good daddy, he told me. He wants YOU!” Michael says sternly.

Jack’s eyes grow wide, the message sinking in. “Michael? Did Gavin talk to you?” he says surprised. He hadn’t been able to get the child to say a single word, let alone a complete sentence.

Michael nods his head. “He likes you Jackie, and says he likes the stories you read him. Gabbin says his mommy and daddy never did that. His daddy made him stay in his room and not talk ever. He talked to teddy and that was all.”

Barbara puts her hand to her mouth, clearly surprised by the information, and now in a minor bit of personal agony.

“Michael, why doesn’t Gavin tell us this?” Jack says.

Michael turns to Gavin, and he pulls the boy up from the floor and leads Gavin into his closet, slamming the door shut. Jack waits a moment or two, and they return, Gavin holding Michael’s hand and still looking upset, but not crying as much.

“Gabbin says when he talks that grown-ups go away. Is that true Jackie?” Michael says, a curious expression over his face, not believing the story for a minute.

Jack looks to Barbara, who looks genuinely floored by the information. “Michael, can you ask Gavin what he means by that?” she says, now sitting beside Jack in the floor.

Gavin and Michael head back into the closet, Jack and Barbara hearing some minor loud whispering mostly from MIchael, and the two reappear a few moments later. “Gabbin says that when he talked on a street, his brother went away. So his daddy said not to talk anymore. He says he talked in a car too, and his mommy and daddy went away. Jackie, is Gabbin lying? Cuz that sounds stupid.”

Gavin puts his head down at Michael’s insult, but not letting go of his hand.

Barbara turns to Jack. “He had a brother, Isaac Free. He passed away about a year ago, I saw it in his file.” She says, confirming the story.

Jack looks at Gavin, everything falling into place now. Why he never talked to grown-ups, why he did everything he was told, and why he didn’t want to leave their home that night. Jack and Barbara were probably the first two people to give this child any love in his life that he could remember clearly in a long time. And they were about to leave him, just like everyone else. And here was little Michael, the only person he’d talked to, protecting him. If they took him away now.. Then…

“Barbara… Will you let me…” Jack starts.

“I know Jack. I know.” She says sadly, clutching her heart, feeling like the biggest failure in her life right now..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

It was the late evening by the time that Geoff opened the door to their home slowly. “JACK!” he yells, wringing out his fishing hat, a small waterfall being produced. He and Ryan were standing on the deck, just outside the doorway, both of them soaked from head to toe, reeking of dirty water.

Jack and Barbara walk up to them and start laughing hysterically. “What happened here?” Barbara says, snorting loudly.

“Dad got in a fight with a fish and lost.” Ryan says sarcastically, pulling off his shirt and trying to flap it dry.

Geoff gave him a dirty look. “Yeah, well how was I supposed to know we can’t both be on the same end of the boat at the same time!” he says in an equally snarky tone.

“I’ll get some towels.” Jack says, rolling his eyes.

Barbara’s still giggling a bit. “So Ryan, did you have fun fishing?” she says sweetly.

Ryan nodded. “Yeah, until it became a swimming trip! That water was gross! Dad and I talked all day about stuff though, so it was cool.”

Barbara tilts her head a bit. “Oh, what kind of stuff?”

Ryan blushes. “Guy stuff.” He says, running in the house, tracking water much to Geoff’s irritation, but he didn’t blame him.

Geoff chuckles, taking the towels from Jack’s hand, him having returned from the bathroom. “Oh Geoff, I have a little surprise for you, and I’m hoping you don’t mind.” Jack says smiling a bit nervously.

Geoff dries off his hair and attempts to wipe his clothes too. “Oh? What? If we have a dog now, that’s awesome, but you’re walking it at 3 AM.” He says seriously, almost expecting it.

Jack chuckles. “Uh.. Well, I guess you could say it’s like little lost puppy in need of love.” He says, motioning for Geoff to follow him.

The three of them walk into Michael’s room, and Jack slowly opens the door, cracking it slightly. From the little ray of light entering the room from the hallway, Geoff sees Michael passed out, holding the hand of some other little kid with blonde hair also passed out. They looked like little angels.

“Meet Gavin, the latest addition our little three ring circus.” Jack says smiling.

Geoff turns to him with a cocky grin. “So much better than a dog.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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	4. Ray's Mask

Chapter Four - Ray's Mask

_“Barbara… Help me…” says the voice of a young girl, just barely in her teen years. The girl is of Asian descent, with long flowing black hair, in a beautiful blue sundress that falls below her knees. She’s in her room, it a slight mess with books and pages of artwork lying over the plush red carpeting. The tan walls are littered with posters of her favorite bands, idols and terrible paper copies of her friends in photographs. It looks like any ordinary girl’s room, and a much smaller Barbara stands there, looking at her dear friend shaking in fear._

_Barbara tries to reach out to her, but can’t. She’s paralyzed, unable to move a single muscle in her body. “Mishi… Don’t….” she says, tears now streaming down her younger face. She watches helplessly as her friend takes a small box out from underneath her bed, pulling a large Xacto-knife out._

_“Help me… Barbara…” she says, still sobbing, pushing the blade upwards slowly, each click of metal against the plastic an agonizing shriek against Barbara’s ears._

_Barbara tries with all of her strength to move, mustering up her heart, finally releasing herself from the paralytic grasp, and lunges forward towards Misha, her arms outward, trying desperately to hold her once more._

_“Don’t leave me Mishi!” she screams, Barbara falling in slow motion towards her._

_As she reaches Mishi, Barbara feels her friend shatter in her arms, breaking like glass, the shards flying away behind her. The room disappears completely, Barbara sitting alone in the dark, the pieces of her friend the only remaining source of light. Barbara crumples to the floor on her knees, trying desperately to pick up the broken shards, grabbing them in her hands, each one breaking into even more pieces as she touches them, it a fruitless endeavor._

_“Barbie… Help me…” she hears a small British voice say. She flips around, seeing a young Gavin Free, holding the teddy bear he begged her to get from his home, with a sad expression on his face. The same face Mishi had. The same face she’d ignored nearly a decade ago. The same face she’d ignored last week._

~~~~

“GAVIN!” Barbara screams, throwing herself up from the desk she’d been sleeping at. She’s breathing hard, taking in her surroundings quickly, realizing it had only been a dream.

Barbara let out a deep sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from her head. Her mind told her: She was in her home, she was safe, and it was time for Barbara to calm the hell down.

Barbara’s home wasn’t what you’d expect of a single woman, and looked more like a place you’d assume held a family of four. Single story, it had two large bedrooms, a small nursery, a large bathroom, a small office she was currently occupying, and a living room with attached miniature kitchen. Everything was painted in a solid white, but with different and vibrant neon colors adorning the furniture and fabrics. Barbara tended to have little guests running around her house, so she wanted her home playful and inviting at all times.

Once Barbara regained her composure, she stood up realizing the mess of papers in front of her were crumpled and drooled on. Case files, she’d spent the better part of Saturday evening working on them. Ever since her terrible lapse in judgment last week, she’d been putting everything into her work.

A child in her care, Gavin Free, had been the victim of severe psychological abuse for about a year and a half, completely scared out of his mind to ever open his mouth to anyone. She’d missed it completely; just assuming the kid was shy or was scared after the accident. All Barbara had seen was a wealthy child with a good future ahead of him, one that had no baggage like most of the kids. She had fully planned on getting him a home that week. It was an easy case, or at least she’d thought that. She was wrong, so wrong.

Gavin was in better hands now though, away from her. Her associates Geoff and Jack of the Home Hunters would be seeing to his well being now, the two of them experts in child care, but even better role models from their own experiences in the foster system. Jack, especially, was good with emotional cases, and would be a great dad for Gavin. Barbara on the other hand? Well, she was a failure and didn’t deserve Gavin’s smiles as she checked in on him.

Barbara gets up from the desk and stretches, trying to fully wake up. She’d considered going back to bed for a few hours, until her cell phone rang. It was the theme for the wicked witch of the west, and she closed her eyes and began groaning loudly. That tune never signaled anything but pain and heartache for her.

Walking slowly into the kitchen and retrieving it from its charging stand, she puts it up to her ear. “Yes Gus?” she says, knowing who it is long before even looking at the caller ID.

“Barbara, I’m sorry to call you so early and right after I asked you to work last weekend, but you’re the last on my list and everyone else in the office is a godddamn asshole.” Gus says in his husky male voice.

Gus Sorola was her boss, a man in his early forties who had the terrible misfortune of inheriting his position horrendously early after a jenga-style breakdown occurred within the agency, with over half of its senior staff leaving in the span of three weeks. He was short and had an average male build, and was of Spanish descent. His hair was short and black, with a fuzzy beard. His face was an amalgamation of many different ethnic cues, leaving many to ponder his origin, usually a fun betting game for Gus.

Barbara lets out a big sigh. “Gus… Honey… I have had about the shittiest week of my life. Am I literally the only one left, or are you bs-ing me with some compliment?” Barbara says with an irritated tone, but being frank with the man. She was almost at her limit, and honestly wanted nothing more than to enjoy her Sunday off.

Gus had an overpowering personality, and while he generally hated being around people, there was nobody better at management than him. He was the best at it because he didn’t care how people acted when they were around him, so long as they got their work done and did everything by the book, they could scream at his face and him not care. Which was good, because most people did scream in his face.

She hears Gus throw his glasses angrily on his desk, and can almost mentally picture him rubbing his face in frustration. “I called Kara and Joel, who are the only ones I’d even remotely consider letting near this kid’s case. Kara is already dealing with one, some English kid, I don’t know the full story yet. Joel is out too. A little girl, abuse case. I don’t have the new person Caiti’s number yet, but she’s busy with the other girl they found in the meth lab. All the other agents either: won’t pick up their phone, aren’t qualified enough, or piss me off with how they handle their kids.” Gus says quickly, and in an angry tone. Not angry at Barbara, but angry at the situation.

Barbara puts her hand through her hair and thinks for a moment.

Gus speaks up first. “I don’t want this kid to have to stay in a police station until Monday Barbara. From what the officer said, he’s about to lose his entire world…” Gus says softly, with all the sadness and compassion the man could muster.

“Fine. Where am I going, and who am I grabbing?” she says dejectedly, already walking towards the bathroom, making a mental checklist of what to bring.

“State Park, I’ll text you the details. It’s a little boy named Ray.” Gus says, hanging up after the two exchange goodbyes.

She adjusts the leaver in the bathtub, setting it to begin spraying a shower, waiting a few moments for the water to heat up, removing her clothes and putting on a fluffy pink bathrobe as she took care of other things first.

Barbara looks at herself in the mirror, her hair in a mess, her eyes still swollen from the tears, and the look of exhaustion that she felt ten times more of inside.

“I won’t mess up again. I’ll take care of you Ray, no matter what. I promise.” She says, pushing aside the medicine cabinet’s mirror in disgust, reaching for her toothbrush.

_________

Geoff was walking through the HH home, which had been surprisingly quiet that morning, everyone sleeping in for once without barging into his bedroom. He’d even managed to brew a pot of coffee and read the morning paper in peace before going around and waking everyone up for breakfast. Coffee mug still in hand, in his usual ragged sleeping attire; he stepped into the hallway, beginning to slowly turn the knob on Gavin’s room, deciding to try interaction with him again. Jack was a lot more close to the kid, but Geoff wanted to make him comfortable around him.

Gavin had still begged to sleep in Michael’s room, but Jack and Geoff had agreed that he’d need to start transitioning to his own bed soon, for the sake of his independence. The previous Saturday night had been Gavin’s first time he’d slept alone, and he’d gone to bed without much of a fuss, once Jack came in and read him a bedtime story. Michael was actually a bit mad at all the attention Gavin had been getting that week from the adults, so Geoff made sure to spend some time with him every night before bed, telling him silly stories about when he was a kid. Ryan was a real trooper and bugged the shit out of Michael during the day too, making sure he didn’t go ignored and had someone to yell at. Funny thing was that Geoff didn’t even have to ask him. He was pretty sure Ryan knew the score, that kid was smart.

Geoff slowly peaked into Gavin’s room and saw that the little guy was already wide awake, just sitting there under the covers Native American style. “Hey buddy, good morning!” Geoff says cheerily with a smiling face, seeing Gavin jump off the bed immediately and rushing to stand before Geoff, looking up hard at him, expecting an instruction.

He sighed and rubbed his head a bit. Some habits would be hard to break, one of them being that Gavin still took orders from adults as if they were absolute gods. Although he’d at least speak now, giving one or two word answers to adults, but capable of full conversations with Michael and Ryan, but only if Jack or Geoff weren’t in the room. The kid had been dealt a shitty hand, and Geoff knew it’d be a long road to trusting himself around adults again.

Gavin stood there, looking up at Geoff, waiting for him to say something. “Gavin, what would you like to wear today?” Geoff asks, attempting to get Gavin to follow his orders so he was comfortable, but maintaining some self-input as well. Baby steps.

Gavin walks over to his closet, and opens it up, looking for clothing, his mind racing at the choices; it was full to the brim.

Gavin, unlike the other two, came from a home of good financial standing, and most everything in his old room got moved over to the HH, his family’s belongings going into storage, and his state-appointed executor handing the sale of the house. The HH (at Geoff and Jack’s insistence) refused to touch any of his inheritance for his care, putting it into a bank account where Gavin could have full access to it (plus interest) once he reached an appropriate age. It wasn’t their right to spend it, and besides, Gavin was their son now. It was THEIR job to care for him, not his own.

Geoff watches as he pulls clothes quickly off the hangers and bringing them to Geoff, him almost spitting his coffee everywhere at his selection. It was a neon lime green polo shirt and a light shade of pink khaki shorts. “Ok?” Gavin says reluctantly, handing them to Geoff, seeking his approval.

What on earth had Gavin’s parents been thinking?! That kind of posh crap looked ridiculous to Geoff, and didn’t look comfortable at all. Then again, maybe it just wasn’t his style?

“If that’s what you want, you can wear it, you don’t need my permission.” Geoff says smiling, patting the kid on the head, noting his blessing. Gavin smiles. “Ok!” he says again. Geoff walks out of the room, letting Gavin change in peace, now moving towards Michael’s room.

Turning the knob, he sees Michael snoring loudly on his bed, positioned weirdly, having likely thrashed in his sleep. Geoff walks over to his bed and gently nudges the kid. “Michael, it’s time to get up! I’m about to start breakfast!” he says playfully, seeing the kid slowly open his eyes, his angelic expression turning demonic immediately. “NO. Wanna sleep!” he says huffily, stuffing his head into the pillow. Geoff rolls his eyes, it was this fight every morning. “Ok, but I bet Ryan and Jack eat all the bacon again!” Geoff says in a worried tone, slowly walking out of the door without saying another word. Michael LEAPS off the bed and tears into his drawers, looking for clean clothes to wear. “DON’T WAKE RYAN UP YET!” he says, already mid-change.

Geoff chuckles, shutting the door behind him, hearing Michael growling a bit.

He then knocks on the last door, knowing the growing boy needed his privacy more than the two bundles of joy in the previous rooms. “Ryan, you up?” An unintelligible sleepy groan is heard beyond the door. Geoff chucked. “Breakfast in about half an hour bud!” he says loudly, then turning around and walking back towards the kitchen.

His feet cold on the tile floor, he pops open the fridge and grabs the package of bacon and their carton of eggs. Just as he begins to start warming the skillets up, he hears the house phone ringing loudly.

“I got it!” he hears Jack say from the hallway.

Geoff wonders who would call on a Sunday, but didn’t think much about it.

He watches as Michael races into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table excitedly, Gavin right behind him, sitting down next to him. “Gabbin, Ryan and Jackie are pigges. Get bacon first!” Michael says to Gavin seriously, Gavin nodding his head in agreement.

Geoff was amazed at these two. Gavin had been Michael’s shadow the better part of that week, and Michael never once complained. Originally, he’d thought that Michael would get sick of Gavin bothering him all the time, but he realized pretty quickly why they were so close. They each had something that the other needed. Gavin needed someone to talk to and trust, which Michael filled perfectly considering he was his savior on that night a week ago. Michael wanted a companion that wasn’t a big and scary male in charge or overbearing, which Gavin most certainly was not. Michael was the alpha in their relationship, and it made him comfortable to not be underfoot for once. Geoff smiled watching the two interact, and it made him happy knowing that each of them had someone they felt comfortable around.

“Mornin’ dad…” Ryan says, yawning sleepily, still in night clothes, plopping down at the table with Michael and Gavin. He opens his eyes a bit more clearly. “Gavin, are those PINK shorts?” Ryan says with a shocked expression.

Geoff turns his head around, ready to toss an egg at the kid, but Michael is already on the attack. “SHUT UP RYAN. GABBIN LOOKS PRETTY YOU UGLY BUTT!” Michael says defensively, giving Ryan a deathly look.

Ryan gets a squinty look in his eyes. “I didn’t say they looked bad Michael!” he says sticking his tongue out. “They look cool!” he says, giving a thumbs up to Gavin. Gavin puts his head down, but is smiling a bit at the compliment.

Geoff lets out a snort. There was only so much cute he could handle at once.

“Geoff, can you come here a minute?” Jack says seriously, walking into the living room from the hallway, clutching the phone in his hand.

He nods his head, handing the small little spatula to Jack, the two tagging out. He puts the phone up to his ear. “Hello?” he asks.

“Geoff, it’s Barbara. I know I just dropped one off last week, but I’ve got another one. I refuse to take any chances with this one, and I will need all your help on this.” She says, a little flustered.

He walks into his bedroom, shutting the door tightly. “Barbara, this is the last one we can take. Are you sure about it?” he asks worriedly. Their budget would be stretched too thin if they went any further. The HH would need either government funding or a bigger sponsor to get another household going. Hell, they’d need more trained professionals. That was the real challenge.

“Yes Geoff, there is no doubt in my mind.” She says firmly, her voice giving Geoff all the conviction he needed.

“Ok then, what’s up?” he says plainly.

Barbara takes a deep breath. “It’s… Bad Geoff…. “

~~~~

Barbara got out of her car at the Cedar Hill State Park. It was a lovely place, with luscious grass next to a large lake filled with fishermen and boaters lining the water. There were families everywhere, enjoying the cool day for fun in the sun, picnic blankets everywhere, with kids and their parents throwing Frisbees or playing catch. She felt a little warm in her red business suit and skirt, but she was going to be meeting a case kid. Kids did better when she was dressed officially at first; it seemed to make them interact with her in a more serious capacity, seeing her as one in authority to be respected.

Walking a ways off into the grass, she sees her contact as Gus described. It was a police officer in a deep blue uniform and hat waving at her, having likely recognized the decals on the side of her car. He was on a small picnic bench with a child, the kid likely between five and six years old.

She slowly walks up to them, her heels getting stuck in the grass a bit, but digging them out as she reached the stone surrounding the picnic table the two were sitting on.

The boy looks up at her, and she gets a good look at him now. He was darker skinned, though slightly pale for one of his complexion, clearly of some Spanish heritage. He had black hair that was straight and well groomed, and was a purple Power Rangers T-Shirt with jean shorts, looking fairly clean and obviously well fed. The boy had a tiny backpack on his back, though it looked like it wouldn’t fit much inside of it.

The officer stands up, taking off his hat in front of Barbara. “Hi, I’m Officer Hallum, but you can call me Matt. I’ve got a little man here with quite a story to tell you Ms. Dunkelman.” He says smiling and happily, but it clearly a mask for the child’s sake.

Matt was probably in his early thirties, with very short brown hair, his face with a thin tan beard. He had beautiful brown eyes, and a piercing smile that made Barbara’s heart skip a beat. Though the thing most attractive about the man is that he’d stayed the better part of three hours that morning with a small child in a fun environment instead of locking him up in his scary car, despite the heat and discomfort his uniform was likely causing him. Most cops ended up scaring the kids to death, or kept them in an empty room away from people. She didn’t blame them entirely; it was hard to face them when they knew what was coming, and most of them didn’t know how to respond to those that can’t be reasoned with. Not Matt though, he’d put the kid’s concern center stage. She’d definitely have to call his superior and thank them personally.

The boy looks up at Barbara smiling, clearly happy.

“Hi there, my name’s Barbara, but you can call me Barbie if you like!” she says, putting on her motherly voice, smiling sweetly and taking a seat next to the boy on the bench.

“My name’s Ray!” he says in a sweet voice, smiling back at Barbara.

Matt takes a seat on the other side of the boy. “Ray, can you tell Barbie here what you told me?” Matt asks in a soft command, yet fatherly in a way.

Ray nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m just here waiting for my Mom. She went home when we got to the park. Mom said to stay here until a popo comes, then give him a letter. She said not to talk to strangers though.” He says, hopping up and down a bit on the bench, clearly bored.

Matt chuckles. “I’m glad you listened to your mom Ray, it’s not good to go with strangers. Can I show Barbie the letter?” he says, pulling a letter out of his pocket.

Ray nods his head. “You the popo, it’s yours now!” Ray says, still happy.

Barbara takes the letter, unfolding it and beginning to read, as Ray and Matt begin talking amongst themselves.

_Officer,_

_It is with a heavy heart that I leave to you my son, Ray. I will not reveal his last name, nor his heritage, because I do not wish for him to know of it. I beg of you, destroy this letter the moment you have finished its contents, and let him forget about me and his old life. Let him grow up happy and healthy in the arms of one worthy to be his mother._

_My husband and I have committed horrible acts in the world, acts so atrocious that I do not believe that either of us can ever hope to find salvation in God anymore. We are marked by the beast, and Satan will take us on our day’s last end._

_When Ray was born, I wanted nothing more than to escape my husband and his sphere of influence, his tiny face warmed my cold and lifeless heart. At the time, it was impossible, but I managed to find a way a few years ago._

_My husband is a man that will travel the world to find me, and I cannot rest for a moment. I have been on the run for two years now, and my sole friend that helped me escape has warned me that they are on the cusps of finding me. If I will perish for my act, so be it. I will pay this sacrifice, but I refuse to allow him to have my son grow up in the world we knew._

_This child has a heart that can bring the world great happiness, and bring light into those around him. He has been truly blessed by God. His is a light that can purge the darkness that his father and I have created._

_I swear upon the Almighty Father and the Holy Mother that I will never reveal Ray’s location to my husband or his tyrannical goons should I be found. Please find him a home, and please let my little ray of sunshine be happy._

_My only gift I can give my dear Ray is in his backpack, which I have told Ray not to touch. Please give it to him when he becomes a man. It was something that belonged to his father, but I believe it is better in the hands of one that could use it for good, serving mankind._

_Thank you for your kindness in this matter, I apologize for the burden I have created, but please know I do this because I have no choice. Do not attempt to look for me or Ray’s father, it will be quite impossible to find either of us, and it is not in the best interests of the child._

_~Madeline_

Barbara flips the page over, seeing that there is more on the back, trying hard to control the tears welling in her eyes, smiling at the boy beside her, still talking with Matt, the man distracting him with idle conversation about cartoon shows.

_To my son,_

_Even though I’m gone, I hope you don’t cry over me. Please don’t cry Ray, I promise things will be better this way._

_I wish you the world, and please know that I did this because I love you more than life itself. I cannot be there as you grow, but know that your mother will be watching over you always. Be a good boy and always respect the people you come to love, and cherish those that surround you in the coming days. You’re never alone in this world, remember that._

_And finally,_

_If one day, you meet someone you truly love, don’t make the same mistake your father made. Never let their heart ache in pain, and never make them cry._

_I love you Ray, I can’t possibly mean that more._

_-Mom_

Barbara puts the letter down, feeling her heart cringe in agony. It was never easy, none of the cases were. Each child has their own sorrow, and it’s impossible to compare them to one and other. Still, as she turned her head, she looked at Ray, wondering what horrible and desperate things his unknowing infant eyes must have seen, but still be able to smile like that.

She feels Matt pat her on the shoulder. “Barbie, do you need to ask Ray any questions?” he says politely, still in a solid voice.

Barbara comes back to earth and turns to Ray. “Ray, did your mom say anything before she left? What did you two do this morning?” she asks, wondering if the kid knew anything about his new situation.

He nodded his head up and down. “We went to church this morning, and she ‘fessed. We came to the park, and she looked real sad. She said to do whatever the popo said and that she loves me.” Ray replies, looking curiously at Barbara. “When’s mom coming back?” he says, his voice a little concerned now.

Barbara’s heart sinks, but takes Ray by the hands. “Matt, I think I need to take Ray with me. Is that ok?” she says, turning to Matt and giving him a knowing look.

Matt pats Ray on the back. “Yeah Ray, I want you to go with Barbie here ok?”

Ray shakes his head violently. “NO! I’m supposed to go with the popo!” he says looking a bit concerned. “Mom said JUST the popo!” he says, looking determined, but not raising his voice.

Barbara bites her lip and realizes that this isn’t going to be easy. It was going to be hard enough telling Ray about his situation, let alone….

“Well, then I’ll drive with you to where Barbie needs to take you, would that be ok?” Matt says, grinning. Ray jumps up onto the grass and stretches his legs a bit. “YAY! Thank you Matt!” he says cutely, taking the older man by the hand.

Barbara looks up at the man, seeing him picking up the kid and carrying him on his arm. “Well Barbie, where are we headed? I’ll let Ray ride in the police car if that’s ok?” he says, without a bit of aggravation in his voice. He seemed genuinely pleased to be helping Ray out, and it made Barbara smile sincerely for the first time that whole day.

——-

“So he’s dangerous?” Geoff says, him and Jack in the living room of the HH. Ryan took the kids to his room, letting them play Nintendo while the grown-ups talked.

Jack nods his head. “Obviously, he’s from a bad background. If we believe everything the letter says, it could be… Hard.” Jack says, letting out a deep breath and rubbing his face.

Geoff shakes his hair out with his hands. “Jaaaaaack, you know we deal with people with shitty backgrounds all the time. Hell, Ryan’s parents could be just as dangerous!” Geoff says a little struggled.

Jack shakes his head. “Maybe so, but the letter seems to tell us that we’re dealing with the kid of someone who’s bad enough to not ever find salvation? Assuming the kid’s mother is religious, that’s a pretty big fucking deal.” He says, his voice full of concern.

Geoff stands up now. “Oh, and what’s the better solution here then? Ship him off to an orphanage? Give him to a different family that doesn’t have the psychological training for this kind of thing? He’d be putting them in the same amount of danger, but wouldn’t have as good a chance of leading a normal life.”

Jack stands up, looking Geoff directly in the eyes, “Maybe so, but we have more than just ourselves to worry about here! We have our own kids too Geoff!”

Geoff backs away for a minute or two, looking down at his feet, not sure what to say.

Jack sighs. “Listen… I know your heart is in the right place here, but… We have to think this through. Bringing a potential danger into this home might be bad for the kids. You know that better than anyone. I mean, look at Gri-“

“I KNOW JACK!” he screams now, clearly angry and frustrated.

Jack takes a step backwards, Geoff knowing he’d probably scared the man a bit.

“Sorry…” he says, lowering his voice, hoping the kids didn’t hear it. Geoff falls to the couch, putting his head in his hands.

Jack joins him, putting his hand around his shoulder, comforting Geoff.

“The letter.” Geoff mutters, putting his head up and turning to Jack, a little light back in his face.

Jack gets a puzzled look. “What about it?” Jack says, unsure of where Geoff was going with that.

“Jack, if you’re putting trust in the letter saying the kid is as dangerous as you say he is, then you also have to trust the fact that this woman isn’t going to tell anyone where Ray is!” Geoff says excitedly, folding his arms smugly.

Jack rolls his eyes. “Geoff, I don’t think it-“

Geoff nods his head. “Yes it does Jack.”

Jack lets out a deep breath of discontent, taking off his glasses and rubbing his face in irritation.

“Geoff, this isn’t something to be taken lightly.” Jack says, but not looking into Geoff’s eyes.

“I know Jack. A child’s life is at stake here, a life that we can improve. A life that we’re the best trained and suited for dealing with.” Geoff says firmly, also avoiding Jack’s gaze.

“What happens is something goes wrong? What if this kid’s father barges in here one night? With a gun or worse? This shit happens Geoff, this isn’t some bad movie where everyone lives happily ever after once they move in! We both know parents are fucking nuts about their kids, especially when they’re high on drugs or complete lunatics.” Jack says seriously and quickly, but still not facing Geoff.

Geoff turns to him, eyes blazing, grabbing him hard on the shoulder to get his attention. “Then I will fucking kill the bastards or die protecting those kids Jack.” He says quietly, but in a dark venomous voice that sent a chill down Jack’s spine as he heard it. A voice Geoff hadn’t heard himself say in a long time.

——-

Barbara let out a deep sigh, seeing Ray fidget nervously in Matt’s lap. Kids had a sense when things were going wrong, and Ray was likely out of his comfort zone. Big time.

Matt had escorted her and Ray to the HH home, where Barbara had hoped Geoff and Jack would take Ray in. They were hesitant at first, considering his background and the safety of the other children, but when she’d arrived, they had already agreed to take Ray in, the only contingency being that the police secretly begin investigation Ray’s past without the child knowing it. Matt had agreed, and unknown to the rest of them, had called in the local PD’s investigation team to scour the park for evidence as soon as they left the park.

Geoff took the kids out of the house to get some ice cream at Jack’s insistence. Jack told them that this was something best explained in private, and the other kids could come back in once Ray calmed down.

Jack nods his head, and Barbara sits down next to Ray. “Ray, I need to tell you something, so I hope you listen really good ok?” she says in the happiest tone she could muster.

Ray nods his head, but not saying anything.

“Ray, do you know that letter your mom left with Matt?” she says, seeing Matt pet the kid’s head gently.

Ray nods. “She said to do whatever the popo said.”

Barbara smiles. “Yes, and you did a good job!” she says, seeing Ray smile proudly.

Barbara takes a deep breath, shuts her eyes and exhales. It was hard to find the words.

“Ray we read the letter your mom gave us. It says that she wants us to take care of you from now on. Your mom isn’t coming back to pick you up, but says she loves you very much and wants you to be happy here. The boys you met earlier are going to be your new brothers, and Jack here is going to be your dad with Geoff!” She says in a caring voice, watching in horror as his face turns pale, the words sinking in.

“I want mom!” he says excitedly and with a panicked face, turning around to Matt and looking at him helplessly. “You’re the popo! Go find my mom please!” he says pleadingly, but not crying just yet, his face still calm, but clearly agitated.

Barbara watches as Matt’s face remains unbreakable. “Ray, I don’t’ know where your mom is or where to even start looking. She said in her letter that she’s going somewhere that we can’t find her. If I could, I would bud, in a heartbeat.” He says, Barbara not seeing’s Ray’s bright face turn dark and lifeless.

Jack moves behind Matt, looking directly at Ray’s face. “Ray, we promise we’re gonna do exactly what your mom wanted. I promise that we’ll give you the best life ever, and you’ll have loads of fun here with your new brothers!” Jack says, smiling, trying to perk the kid’s attitude up.

Barbara braces herself.

She’d played this game before, and knew exactly what was coming next with abandoned children. Screaming, crying, and wailing. Begging and pleading with them that they’d be good and to bring their parents back. They were inconsolable, and reason usually didn’t apply. They were children though, it was expected of them to act like that. It didn’t make it any easier on Barbara though, and it broke her heart to see it happen. It was cruel. Even if there was a good reason, this was pure agony on any child.

“Ok.” Ray says a bit somberly.

Barbara does a double take, not sure if she’d heard that right.

Matt hugged Ray firmly and patted him on the head. “Thatta boy.” Matt says, watching Ray smile slightly again.

Barbara looks at Ray’s face. It’s hurt, but still smiling.

“Ray, are you ok? It’s ok to be sad if you want!” Barbara says assuredly, not wanting the kid to hold it in. That was worse than seeing them sob. At least when they cried, they let it all out. The hurt could go away for a while. Holding it in let it fester, something she didn’t want.

Ray nodded his head. “I am sad. I miss mom and want to hug her. But mom said she wants me here, and mom knows the best.” He says, smiling a bit, but still clearly upset about the information. He turns up to Matt. “Are you going away too?” he says, giving him a sad expression.

Matt nodded his head. “Sorry, I work all the way back near the park I found you at! But I can stay here for the rest of the night if you want!” Matt says, seeing Ray nod his head up and down.

Matt grins a bit. “Want to go get ice cream with your new brothers?” he says, letting his teeth shine through his smile. Ray is still a bit pouty, but nods his head. “Can I get chocolate?” he asks, as Matt picks him up and hoists him onto his shoulder, walking out of the door. “You can have whatever you want bud, anything at all!”,

Barbara just stands there, not sure how to feel. She feels Jack pat her on the back.

“That went so much better than I thought.” She said, not sure how to react to it all, unbelieving at Ray’s expression already.

“I gotta say, kids never cease to amaze me. No two are the same, and each one handles things differently. Granted, we’re going to have to watch Ray like a hawk to make sure he doesn’t go into depression or start rejecting people, but with reassurance, love and someone to talk to about it, I think he’ll be just fine over time.” Jack says smiling.

Jack lets out a deep breath, one of relaxation. “I was surprised. Seeing that sad dark face at first, I didn’t think it could hold that much happiness. I guess we all wear deceptive masks, don’t we?” Jack says, looking at Barbara.

She turns to Jack, giving him a blank stare for just a moment.

~

“Barbie!” Misha says, running in the school hallway, grabbing her friend’s hand. Barbara doesn’t understand how this girl can wear long sleeves in the middle of the Texas weather, but she looks fabulous in that top, so she’s not about to complain.

“Hey Mishi! What’s up?” Barbara says, grabbing a book out of her locker and smiling at her friend.

“Not much. Hey listen, can you come over tonight? I just need someone to talk to, I’ve had a really shitty week.” she says in her normal happy voice, smiling, but not looking directly in Barbara’s eyes.

Barbara lets out a small groan. “Mishi, my parents are making me go to Gran-Gran’s tonight. Some crap about our cousin’s vacation photos. I can’t.”

Misha smiles. “That’s ok Barbie. Maybe next time!” she says, walking off, waving goodbye as the school bell rings, signaling that school day was at an end.

Barbara looks as her friend walks off, noting that she’s walking bit funny, clutching her arms together tightly.

~.

“Yeah Jack. Yeah they do…” she says, painfully walking out of the HH house with Jack, closing the door behind her, deciding to join the boys in their night out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gavin couldn’t sleep. He sat in his bed, clinging to teddy as hard as he could. He wished Michael was there, so he could talk to him. Gavin loved teddy, but teddy didn’t talk back.

Hiccccc…

Gavin heard a strange noise. He grabbed teddy tighter and jumped out of bed, wondering where it was coming from.

Hhhhhmp….

Gavin hears it was coming next door, in Ray’s room. Was Ray ok? Oh no! What if he was sick!? Ray was his new brother they met at the ice cream shop that night! Did the ice cream hurt his tummy?

Gavin slowly opened his door, walked a few steps in the hallway and opened Ray’s room. Ray was sitting up on his bed, with a really red face. He was wearing one of Michael’s jerseys and shorts.

“Ray? You ok?” Gavin asks, walking up to the bed, still holding his teddy tightly.

Ray wiped his eyes, and then tried smiling. “I’m fine Gavy!” he says, smiling so big that Gavin saw his teeth. “See!”

Gavin shook his head. “You were crying. Go tell Daddy Jackie! He’ll make you all better.” Gavin says, now jumping up on Ray’s bed with him, teddy still clutched to his chest.

Ray shakes his head. “No Gavy, I’m ok. My mom sad not to cry, so I gotta do what she says.”

Gavin looks down at his feet, then back at Ray. He thinks as hard as he can, then smiling a bit as an idea crosses his mind.

He pushes his teddy bear into Ray’s arms. “Teddy won’t tell no-one. He never told any of my secrets. You can cry to him, he’s not people. Nobody would know, and your mom won’t either!” Gavin says, smiling.

Ray takes Gavin’s teddy and looks at it.

~

Gavy’s teddy was soft and fluffy, almost like silk. It had a red bow on its neck and really pretty brown eyes. It was light brown, very cuddly.

Gavy gets off the bed. “You keep teddy tonight. But I want him back, ok?” Gavy says seriously. Ray watches as his new brother walks through the door. “Tell Teddy how you feel, ok? You’ll feel better.” he says smiling and shutting Ray’s door.

Alone in the dark of his room except for a nightlight on the wall, Ray looks at the teddy bear and stares into his eyes.

“Gavy says it’s ok to talk to you. Is that right?” Ray says staring at the bear. The bear doesn’t object.

“Mr. Bear, I miss my mom. She always hugged me all night long until I went to bed. She said she loved me Mr. Bear. Why’d she go away? Did I do something bad?” Ray says, tearing up a bit again, but wiping them away in frustration.

“Cuz… I’d not do it anymore…I promise.” he says, clinging the bear tightly and laying back down.

“I’m sorry mom…” Ray says, cuddling with the bear more, pulling the covers over his body. “I’m sorry I did the bad thing…I didn’t know mom… Please come back…”

A small tear falls on the bear’s face, Ray keeping his mouth silenced, but whimpering softly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geoff woke up early again that next day, but was surprised to see Gavin already awake and in the living room, sitting on the couch in complete silence. He holding Jack’s fairytale book they got from Burnie, looking at the pages again for the umpteenth time. Gavin sees Geoff, and puts the book down quickly, running up to him. Geoff was about to have a long talk with Gavin that he didn’t have to do that anymore when…

“Geoff.” Gavin says, speaking the man’s name for the first time, and tugging on his shirt for attention.

Geoff looks down at the boy. “What is it Gavin? Is everything ok?” Geoff says, now concerned that something was wrong for Gavin to speak up like this.

Gavin nodded his head. He hesitated for a moment or two, thinking really hard about what to say. “Please buy Ray a Teddy Bear.” Gavin says, speaking simply and softly, but giving Geoff a clear request.

Geoff’s puzzled a bit, not sure what to think of that. “Why’s that Gavin? Why does Ray need a teddy bear?” Geoff replies, his voice curious but not angry in the slightest.

Gavin lets go of Geoff’s shirt. “Cuz he needs one to talk to at night like me.”

Geoff looks at Gavin’s eyes, seeing he was speaking seriously. Gavin averts his gaze and then runs off to his own room, shutting the door. The few exchange of words had likely brought the boy to his limits for the day, and would probably not have much else to say on the matter.

What was that about? Geoff wonders, deciding to see for himself.

Geoff slowly walks into Ray’s room, creaking the door open, seeing the little guy still sound asleep. Gavin’s words were quickly confirmed though, as Geoff sees exactly what the kid meant.

Ray was lying there, clutching Gavin’s bear as if it were the only friend in his whole world.

 

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	5. Geoff's Choice

Chapter Five - Geoff's Choice

_The local mini-mall nearest the Austin High School was usually always jam-packed with students. The food court, especially, was packed shut, Geoff lucky to find any place to sit. Not that he wanted to be there, anyway._

_“Burnie. Seriously, do I look like the kind of guy that wants to spend his whole goddamn Saturday sitting in front of a microphone?” Geoff mutters angrily, giving him an irritated expression._

_Before him was Burnie Burns, some geeky AV friend of Griffon’s. He had curly brown hair, had a little bigger build than most kids his age, and had a pair of thin rimmed glasses. He had on some space marine T-shirt, probably some video game._

_Griffon nudges Geoff in the ribs. “LISTEN!” she says, giving him a direct command._

_Griffon was about as tall as Geoff was, with stunning bright blonde hair, a ton of tattoos and a kick-ass septum piercing that Geoff loved. The two of them had been paired in Geoff’s first foster home together, getting separated right before he got paired up with Jack. What had been a mere friendship as children was beginning to slowly blossom into something more._

_Geoff rolls his eyes. “Ok, lay it on me again.” he says, taking a loud and obnoxious slurp from his cup._

_Burnie adjusts his glasses, visibly nervous of the intimidating man before him. Geoff knew he was a glorified thug, and he liked it like that._

_“Uh… Well, it’s a project me and my friends are doing. We’re making an internet show out of Halo, and it’s gonna be really awesome! We need cool voice actors though, and we’re not exactly… Well…” He says, stuttering towards the end._

_Griffon begins rolling her eyes now as well. “Burnie’s friends suck. They need someone funny who isn’t a complete embarrassment in public. I thought you’d be best at it, everyone loves hearing you talk and laugh.” she says, taking the reigns of the conversation._

_Geoff slams down his cup. “Griffon! I’m not doing this shit.” he says angrily._

_Griffon stares him down, and slowly moves to his ear, whispering in it softly, so softly that no one really able to hear them. Geoff’s expression turns to one of absolute terror as she talks, and the man seems to go a bit pale._

_“Fine, when do I get there?” Geoff says, in a faked eager voice._

————————

It was a late evening in mid-August. The agency had long since closed for the day, but the senior staff had gathered together, their government contact agreeing to meet them after hours to talk about the Home Hunters. It was a dim little conference room with a big circular table and wooden paneling. To them, they felt like they were approaching the Don himself.

“Denied.” the aging and bald man said in his dark and husky voice, without a second glance at the papers before him, tossing them to the middle of the table, sighing deeply in irritation.

Barbara stood up quickly. “YOU DIDN’T EVEN LOOK AT IT!” she screeches, giving him a dirty look.

A tall man joins her soon after. “I agree, did you even see that what we’re asking for is less than forty percent of the overall cost? We already have sponsors for everything else!” the man says, just as irritated as Barbara, but in a more professional tone.

Barbara glances next to her. The man was Joel Heyman, the only one in the office with more credentials than her. Joel was in his early forties, but could easily pass for someone thirty or younger. He had slightly spiky black hair sticking up everywhere, and was extremely tall and thin, his clothing hanging off him in protest at his thin build.

Another woman on the opposite side of the table joins them, standing up and giving the representative a dirty look. “Seriously! I mean, we know it’s a lot, but we’ve asked for a lot less in the past! Besides, this group is amazing! Have you seen our evaluation reports on the first one? Haywood’s progress is fantastic!” she says passionately.

Barbara glances over the table, seeing her good friend Kara come to her aid as usual. Kara and Barbara had been good friends in high school and college, even managing to work in the same field and branch. Kara was like Barbara and in her early thirties, with a short cut blonde hairstyle, with a strong build and fierce looking eyes. She was one of the kindest people that Barbara had ever met in her life, but knew how to be strong too.

The two other senior staff, Gus and Caiti remain quiet, still in their seats.

The representative, Mr. Jay, lets out a deep sigh.

“Listen, I know you people are passionately enamored over this little pet project, but let’s get back down to reality for a moment. The organization has been open since early May. It’s just now August, and they’re already full? Do you not see where this would be a problem? We can’t just open new branches when things get full, it doesn’t work like that. Even taking away the housing cost and not counting the support for Ramsey and Patillo themselves, it’s still tens of thousands of dollars PER child PER year. Even at forty percent, it’s extra money on top of the budget that we have to give for ALL children. I’m sorry, I can’t sign off on this until I see more solid results that are different from any other regular family, or when we have room in the budget.” the man says dismissively, standing up. Gus stands up with him, shakes his hand, and slowly begins escorting him out the door..

“WAIT!” says a cute female Australian accent. Everyone turns to the voice, surprised to hear her say much of anything. It was Caiti Ward, who had just been promoted to senior staff, and generally didn’t want to speak up much, as she was still learning the executive ropes. Caiti was of a thin build, with flowing brown hair, and a pair of unique glasses on her face. She was in her late twenties, far younger than most in the room, but was excellent at what she did, and had the education and results to back it up.

“What if we funded it completely? Would you sign off on it then?” Caiti says, standing up and facing Mr. Jay.

The man ponders for a moment, not saying anything.

“Fine. But only if it’s fully funded by trustworthy investors. Understand?” he says, everyone nodding, Gus escorting him finally out of the room.

Everyone remains quiet for a few moments, all of them disappointed. Joel finally flips a chair, throwing it across the room in abject fury.

“Fucking morons…” He seeths, taking a few deep breaths.

Kara returns to her chair, putting her arms on the table and laying her head down upon it. “Did we really expect anything good though? I mean, he’s right. We love our kids, but… Guhhh… It’s just too new. WE see the value of it, but it’s just… We can’t prove it yet.” she says defeated and slightly whiny.

Barbara joins Kara back at the table, hoping to change the depressing subject. “How’s little Daniel, Kara?” she asks painfully. She knew how hard it was was her first time being a foster mother while working, though Kara was in a much rougher position. It had been a bad July, all of them getting kids on the same day she found Ray, all of them special cases.

Kara sighs loudly. “Teenage parent runaways from England thinking they can make it on their own without any help or support in a foreign country while on drugs and not having a job. WRONG. Dan’s lucky he was born here, he has citizenship, so we could get him help.” she says flustered. Barbara felt for her friend. They couldn’t keep kids long term because of their positions, but could at least foster them until another (better) opportunity came along.

Barbara looks up to Joel. “ Lindsay doing ok Joel?” she says, giving him a pitiful look. THAT situation was the real heartbreak in the office recently.

Joel shakes his head. “No, and I’m trying to be helpful and be there for her, but it’s just not the care she needs. Her trust is SHATTERED, and I don’t think there’s enough duct tape in the world to fix it.”

Caiti smiles perkily a bit. “Courtney’s doing better, thankfully. She’s a smart and strong girl. I’m hoping she’ll start playing again soon, just as soon as the chemical burns heal. Doctors keep giving me good reports, and she’s in good spirits.” Caiti says, everyone smiling at the news. In their work, they needed good news.

Barbara sighs loudly. “I guess we won’t be getting new Home Hunters quite yet, will we?” she says, her tired expression matching everyone else’s perfectly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So… Ray Ramsey or Ray Patillo?” Geoff mutters, having completed the last of the gigantic stack of papers before the two of them, the only missing forms being the parent’s name.

They were sitting at the HH dining table, finishing up Ray’s adoption papers. Unlike the other kids who would wait until they were twelve, Jack and Geoff were forced into rushing his official adoption, considering that Officer Hullum’s investigation had turned up nothing in the last month. No connections, no medical records, nothing. Wherever Ray had come from, it certainly was well hidden.

That made registering him for Kindergarten all the more difficult. No social security number, no birth certificate, nothing. His medical checkup was fine, so no problems there, thankfully. Still, not having an identity was hard in a world obsessed with bureaucracy. Luckily, Barbara’s boss was helping them push through everything and bypassing a lot of impossible steps.

“Just let the kid decide, it doesn’t matter.” Jack says, smiling.

Geoff nods, as Ryan walks into the room in his pajamas. “Dad, can we do game night now?” he says, asking for the first time all night. Geoff cringed a bit, feeling bad for having not started it like usual.

Jack pats Geoff on the back. “Go play with the kid Geoff, I’ll get everything organized.” he says, winking.

There’s a small parade of little kids now rushing through the door behind Ryan, seeing him get their attention.

“Jackie, Gabbin wants to read a story.” Michael asks politely, Gavin smiling a bit behind him. Ray’s jumping up and down excitedly. “Can we read the one with the yellow girl?! She kicks butt!” he says smiling giddily.

Jack shakes his head. “Kiddos, I can’t tonight, sorry. I’ve got to finishing writing stuff up. Can ya’ll go play with blocks or watch TV tonight?” Jack says regrettably, all of the kids letting out an audible “awwwwwww”.

Ryan takes a step or two into the room. “Dad, can they play with us?”

Geoff gives him a shocked expression. “You sure Ryan?” he asks, knowing how this had been their sacred time together. With the other kids a lot more needy, Ryan usually took care of himself or played with the kids to give Jack and Geoff a break. They still gave him plenty of attention, naturally, but the kid was mature enough to not be jealous when the others required assistance as well.

Ryan nodded his head. “Yeah, we can play Mario!” he says smiling.

~

Geoff was already snickering over this event, unable to suppress his giddiness at watching Gavin, Ray and Michael play a video game together. Something about these kids made him think this would be quite an ordeal.

“What is Game Night?” Gavin asks cutely, turning to Michael in a whisper. Michael shrugs his arms. “Something dumb Ryan and Geoff do, they play video games.” he says.

Ray smiles. “I like video games! Mom let me play them at the pizza store!” he says excitedly.

Ryan walks into the room, and hands all the kids a Wii-remote control. “Ok guys, we’re playing Mario. I’m Mario! Michael, you be Luigi. Gavin and Ray can be the toads!” he says authoritatively.

Gavin smiles with Ray. “We’re toads!”

Ray smiles back. “We’re toads!”

Gavin gets a curious look on his face. “What’s a toad?”

Geoff laugh-coughs at that, and Ryan starts up the first level. After a few minutes of them attempting to learn the controls, Gavin goes a little far too right and runs directly into a goomba.

He gets a really sad look on his face. “No! I died Ryan!” he says, frowning.

Michael turns to Ryan. “Make him live again!”

Ryan laughs. “He’ll come back soon!”

Ray begins jumping on Michael’s character, laughing hilariously as the little green guy was unable to move or jump anywhere.

“RAY NO!” he screams, trying to dodge his character, but Ray having far superior coordination skills.

Geoff is by this point in muffled fits as Ryan leaps ahead of all of them, trying complete the level on his own, the rest of them flying by in bubbles.

Gavin is brought back to life, but quickly falls into a hole that Michael popped him over. “Awww… I died again…” Gavin says, looking down in angst, Michael patting him on the back supportively. “It’s ok. I’ll kill Ryan for you.”

“HEY!” Ryan says, giving Michael a panicked look. All of them laughed, and they sat there playing level 1-1 for about a good ten minutes when there was a loud and obnoxious knock on the door.

Geoff gets off the living room chair and slowly moves towards it, checking through the eyehole, noticing that there’s some really lousy dressed douchebag in sunglasses at night.

He slowly opens the door. “Can I help you?” he asks plainly, but with a slight bit of hesitation.

The sunglasses are removed. “Oh come on, is that any way to treat your good pal Burnie!?”

~

Geoff’s face is floored, looking at Burnie for the first time in a few years. He sent gifts and had been a sponsor for their little program, but actual interaction was hard halfway around the country.

Burnie had muscled up since high school, was a fair bit taller, and had a very professional Hollywood styled wardrobe going on. Geoff had been a tiny bit jealous of his success, having made it into production after their little dog and pony show in high school with that Halo crap. Even at only one season, he got offered a good job in Hollywood, and moved out there to work on creative directing. He met some talented animator online, and they worked on some Dead Fantasy movie for video game companies overseas. The movie had been a whopping success, and they’d gone on to make a bunch of different animated productions. Their recent gig was some RWBY show that Jack kept reading to Gavin and the others.

“Wow… You really do have your hands full…” Burnie says, watching as he’s surrounded by two toddlers.

Geoff nodded his head. “Yep. The two at your feet are Ray and Michael, the kid focused on Mario back there is Ryan, and the guy hiding in Jack’s lap is Gavin.” Geoff says, pointing out each of the kids as he named them.

Burnie squatted down in front of Ray and Michael. “Hey kiddos! Howya doing,? I’m an old friend of your dad’s!” he says, putting his hand out. Ray takes it. “I’m RAY!” he says excitedly and smiling, Burnie now turning to Michael. Michael gives him a dead gaze, and Geoff almost moves him away for fear of Burnie’s well being, but the kid just huffs angrily.

Baby steps. Phew. He’d been getting better at not biting people.

“Well, that’s one my favorite. Look at those cute cheeks!” Burnie says, now pinching Michael’s cheek playfully.

CHOMP

“GADLFKJALDFKHADFLJ” Burnie exclaims, pulling his hand away from Michael.

Geoff shakes his head. “That was stupid Burnie… Michael! Don’t bite people! Time out! Five minutes.” Geoff says, Michael obeying, stuffing himself in a nearby corner on a small step-stool.

Burnie shakes his hand off, the bite thankfully not drawing blood. “Charming kid…” he says, still attempting politeness.

Jack stands up, carrying Gavin in his arms, him trying very hard not to be seen by Burnie. “Gavin, this is Burnie. He made that book you like so much!” Jack says, watching as Gavin peeks his head out slightly.

“You made RWBY?” he says curiously, the love of his book overpowering his usual shyness.

Burnie nods his head. “Well, my friend Monty did, but I got him to put it together for you guys. Do you like it!?” he asks excitedly.

Gavin nods his head. “I like Queen Weiss the best, but Cowgirl Yang’s the funniest!.” he says, smiling sheepishly.

Burnie gets a wide smile on his face. “I’ll tell Monty you liked it! Maybe we can send you some more stuff!”

Gavin’s eyes get really wide. “REALLY?”

Burnie pats the kid on the back, him recoiling a bit, but still looking at him. “Yeah little man, we’ll get you some shirts, some pins and maybe your dad will let me send you a sword!”

Gavin smiles happily. “Thank you!” he says giddily.

Geoff stands next to Burnie, giving him a dirty look. “Please don’t spoil my children.” He says sarcastically. The two exchange handshakes, and give each other a big hug.

“Burnie, why are you here anyway?” he asks, watching as Jack takes Gavin back to the table for work, and Burnie moves in closer.

“Can we have a moment in private?” he asks, excitedly.

Geoff shrugs, and the two of them take the conversation back into his bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~

Kara slowly opens the door to her house. It was small apartment, only two bedrooms (one which was an office), a bathroom and kitchen/living room combination. It really wasn’t meant for more than one person, making her current predicament all the more difficult.

“CALEB!” She shouts as she kicks off her high-heels, dropping her bag on the nearby table.

“I’m here Ms. Eberle.” A soft male voice says, waving from the couch, a small boy resting on his lap.

Caleb was about sixteen, with straightened brown hair, a thin frame and goofy smile. Many would think him to be just another immature teenage boy, but he was actually a really good babysitter, and came very highly recommended. A lot of the agency workers used him, he was reliable and came from a good family.

“It’s Kara, I’ve told you that. Anyway, thank you so much Caleb, you’re a lifesaver. Was he any trouble?” she asks, smiling and pulling her purse from a living room table, pulling out some bills for him.

“The little guy was out immediately after dinner. He played with the toy soldiers and wore himself out.” Caleb says, moving slowly as to not wake the child, moving to her, taking the cash.

Kara smiled and nodded. “Thanks. I’ll call you again if I need to stay late.”

Caleb nods. “Gotcha, see ya later Kara!” he says, waving, getting out of the apartment, closing the door behind him.

Kara moves quickly to the little boy on her couch, taking off her outer business jacket. She started at him, unable to stand the cuteness. Daniel Gruchy was one o the most adorable six year olds she’d ever met. He had dark brown hair, was probably a little taller than some of Geoff’s kids, and had been a fairly typical little boy. Rambunxious, playful and always in need of something to do. He’d be starting kintergarten soon though, so the need for babysitters would reduce significantly soon, probably to the distress of Caleb’s bank.

“Mommy…” he mutters slowly, turning restlessly in his sleep a bit. Kara sits down next to him, and slowly grabs his hand, it comforting him immediately as he slowly starts clenching it tightly.

“Don’t worry Daniel. We’ll find somewhere for you to belong…” she says, smiling with a vain hope in her heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Joel stepped back into his office from his meeting, a small girl sitting at his desk, holding a small plush doll he gave to kids. It was a really bright green frog, something he thought looked cute, though his associates tended to ridicule him for his taste in children’s toys.

“Hey Lindsay, you ready to go home?” he asks, putting on his best grin. Her head turns up, nodding silently.

Lindsay was five years old, with long brown hair and an average height for her age. Her mother had physically abused her before they got her out a month ago getting tipped off by a neighbor, and her face was just now starting to look healthy again.

Joel moves towards her and picks her up, Lindsay clutching to him immediately. Joel sighed, his face falling while she couldn’t see it. She was clingy towards him now, and that wasn’t a good sign.

Abuse wasn’t uncommon, but the poor girl had been through a lot. The worst of it being that the abuse didn’t come from her biological mother, but rather… From the foster mother that Joel put her with. A poor choice upon reflection, but there hadn’t been any signs until she called him in tears.

“Jay… Can I sleep in the car?” she asks sweetly, rubbing her eyes.

Joel nods his head. “Whatever you want sweetheart. Let’s go home…” he says, picking up his briefcase from the chair, shutting off the lights and closing the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The nearby Austin hospital wasn’t usually open that late for visitors, but Caiti had clearance. She’d been waiting as the doctors examined the girl’s burns, leftover remains from the explosion caused by the “cooks” of the house. Caiti was there to check on her case child, and as she waited in the nearby sitting room, her head couldn’t help itself from thinking about her life.

She wasn’t sure what to make of her new position. Senior staff… They seemed to work so hard on special cases for such little reward… Not that she cared about money or anything like that; she genuinely wanted to help the children, but… She hadn’t expected it to be so hard.

She also wasn’t sure what to think about her current case. She had a couple dozen of kids she was working with, but this one… This one needed something really good. She knew it was selfish to think that way, but Caiti was human and still new at all this. Her heart still dictated the way she worked, and she wanted to cling to that as long as she could.

“Ms. Ward, you can go in now.” Says a nearby nurse, him smiling, and waving her to come in. Caiti got up, and slowly walked into the single-person room, seeing the small girl on the bed get bright eyed and happy as she came into view.

“CAT!” she exclaims happily, glad to see her face.

Caiti smiles and takes a seat next to her. “Hey Court, how’s everything going?” she asks, looking over the small girl’s body.

She had just turned six, but was already very tall for her age. She had flowing blonde hair, and an adorable figure. Her arms and face were covered in bandages, protecting her burned skin from infection. The original wounds had left her groggy for a day or two, but she pulled through quickly. She’d been far away from the house so it wasn’t anything scarring or in need of reconstructive surgery, but it still hurt and was a bad boo-boo. Although, even all bandaged up, she could see the girl’s adorable face and attitude, as well as her unbreakable spirit. In the words of Caiti’s mother, she could just “eat her up!”.

Courtney smiles. “Doctor says I can go home with you next week! But… Why can’t I go home with mom and dad?” she asks innocently, Caiti’s expression turning pained.

Caiti hadn’t shared with her the intricate details of her… Injuries. That was a story better left told when her owies were healed and she was in a more comfortable environment.

“I’ll explain everything once we get to my house. It’s really pretty, I have a little puppy who’s just gonna love you!” she says, smiling giddily, Courtney’s face lighting up. “I LOVE PUPPIES!” she says, bouncing up and down a bit.

~~~~~~~~~~

“So what’s so goddamn important Burnie? “

Geoff shuts the door, leaving it just a bit cracked to hear the kids still playing.

Burnie takes a seat on his bed and looks up at him with his biggest smile. “Geoff, I have a big offer for you, and I think you’ll love it!”

Geoff folds his arms. “Ok… What is it?” he asks, not sure where any of this was going.

Burnie pulled something out of his pocket, handing it to Geoff. “Remember that old crap we did in high school? Red Versus Blue? Well, I’ve finally got the kind of money to do something awesome with it, and my animator is kicking ass lately, so I’m starting up the project again! Halo is freaking HUGE, Microsoft is sponsoring us, and people are dying to see it. The internet is in a fucking uproar!.” He says, giddily.

Geoff opens up the small paper that Burnie handed him, a small poster. On it was an orange space marine in high definition armor, looking really cool.

“Oh hey! Is that Grif?!” he says chucking at the memories He’d done the voice acting for that character, remembering that his guy was orange.

Burnie nodded his head. “Yep, and I want my best voice actor to come back to California with me to do the voice acting. We’re talking big bucks Geoff, better than anything you’d ever find here!” he says in an exciting voice.

Geoff’s expression turns cold a bit. “Burnie… What?” he replies, not sure how to take this.

Burnie gets up, patting Geoff on the back. “We want ALL the original staff back! That means you! I’ve also got you lined up with a few buddies of mine in the movie industry. They’re always looking for new name people, and I’ve been really talking you up.” He says, nudging him in the ribs.

Geoff laughs, rubbing his head embarrassed. “Burnie… I can’t, I have kids now. I have something more important to worry about than… Being some stupid actor in some animated film!” Geoff says, putting his hands up exasperatedly.

Burnie chuckles a bit. “Oh really? To me, it seems like being a big name actor with some pull would do a lot for these kids. Come on, think about it in the long run! You could do press events, get big names and people to send your little pity party some fundage!” he says in a slick voice.

Geoff takes a deep breath, letting the words hit a little too close to home.

Burnie doesn’t stop with the pitch. “The internet is not what it was when we were kids Geoff. It’s a thriving mass of millions upon billions of people now, and EVERYONE has access to it. It can do your project a lot of good, and we can both benefit from this. It’s not even for that long. We’d just need you for a couple of months, maybe a year tops. If we got more seasons, well.. You could think about moving there!.” Burnie says, waving his hands in wild motions, trying to get his point across.

Geoff wipes his face, all the information trying to seep in.

“Seriously man, you’ve known these kids for all of a few months, what are you so fucking emotional over?” he says, chuckling. “You can get someone else to play Daddy or maybe get the kids a mom or some shit.” He says, dismissing the problem entirely.

Geoff retreats back into his mind a bit, remembering what Barbara had been telling after their last staff meeting, it now echoing firmly in his ears.

“All we need is MAYBE one or two really big sponsors and we could help the newest batch of kids. It breaks my heart that we’re so close..”

Geoff took a deep breath, exhaling loudly, closing his eyes, his expression torn and pained. Burnie looks at him, still quizzically. “Geoff, man… Don’t throw this away.”

The faces of the four kids playing together on the Wii went through his mind. All of them so happy, all of them healing, all of them… They were his goal. They were what he wanted out of life, and it brought him more happiness than he could ever imagine. To make kids happy, healthy and grow up with the love and care they needed. He gave that to them, but he could give them so much more too.

 

There were so many more out there, in dire need of help. It would be selfish of him… He couldn’t…

“Ok Burnie. Give me time to think about it. I’ll let you know by the end of the week, but I think… I think you’re right…. I think I’ll give it a shot. Me and Jack will talk, and I’ll… I’ll just let you know soon.” Geoff says reluctantly, his heart heavy and pained as the words escape his mouth.

~~~~

Ryan stepped gently away from his father’s door, having been listening through the cracks. He tries hard not to cry, but the tears start forming immediately.

“Dad’s… Leaving?” he says verbally, his voice cracking a bit.

Ryan watches as Geoff turns around, having heard his voice.

“Ryan?” Geoff says, getting up and rushing to the door, Ryan running away quickly and going into his room, slamming the door and locking it shut.

___________

“RYAN!” Jack hears Geoff shout, banging on a door. Picking himself up from the paperwork, he walks into the hallway, unsure of what happened.

As he walks into view, he watches Geoff and Burnie at Ryan’s door, trying to contact the boy.

“Ryan, open the door. I want to talk to you…” Geoff says shakily, trying to keep composed. Jack walks up to them. “Geoff, what’s wrong?” Jack asks with a concerned voice, watching as Geoff rubs his face in frustration.

“Burnie offered me an acting gig Jack, said there’s good money in it for the kids, and I said I’d think about it…” Geoff says, his voice full of self-hate. “Ryan heard me say that I’m leaving…”

Jack’s eyes grow wide. “You WHAT?” he says, giving Burnie a dark look. Burnie puts up his hands in defense. “Hey man, I’m trying to help ya’ll here, I’m not the bad guy…” Burnie says. Jack lets out a deep breath and starts banging on the door himself. “Ryan, come out, let’s talk about this!” he says calmly, yet with desperation in his voice.

Ryan doesn’t respond, and the three of them just sit there, unsure of what to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You should have known. Nothing good ever lasts…

Ryan sat on his bed, clutching a photograph of him, Geoff and Jack, the three of them on their first fishing trip. Jack had caught a huge bass, Geoff managed a tiny little fish, and Ryan hadn’t caught anything. Still, they’re all smiling in it, and clearly happy.

You’re going away…

Ryan didn’t know why he’d let himself love Geoff. It was stupid. He was stupid. Nothing mattered, it all just… Disappeared eventually… Why bother being happy?

Left to his thoughts, he collapsed back onto the bed.

~

_“Mom, please! You need to wake up!” Ryan screams, shaking his mother, her not budging at all. She was skin and bones, the ribs poking out of her wrinkled skin, her hair matted and disgusting. Ryan wasn’t much better, but at least had a little hygiene._

_Their home was a disaster area without any working electricity and barely any water, but had a semblance of order. His parents usually managed to wreck the place, but he’d pick everything up. Just in case the teacher came by again…_

_“MOM!” he screams, trying to wake her up with all his might, him noting his father chuckling a bit._

_“DAD! HELP ME WAKE UP MOM!” he screams desperately, tears in his eyes._

_The man is unmoved, and fumbles around his body, looking for a clean needle. They’d managed to afford the “good” stuff that week._

_“More for me!” he says happily, laughing a bit too hard at the nonexistent joke. Ryan steps back a bit, breathing hard, not sure what to do, running his hands over his hair and eyes, trying to think. He couldn’t call 911. His parents said not to ever. He was already late to school, but he couldn’t leave mom like that… She needed him, and he loved her…_

_“Hehehehehe, whooooo!” his father says, feeling the rush as he plunges the needle into his blackened elbow, littered with tiny black dots._

_Ryan thinks as hard as he can, unsure of what to do… He… He had to do something…_

_A light goes off in his head, remembering that Ms. Taylor was smart! She’d help him! Ryan rushes out the door, hoping to make it in time._

~

“Ryan?” he hears from his doorway. He opens his eyes, he’d been dreaming. There was a soft knocking at the door. It was one of his brothers. The new kid… Ray.

Ryan slowly cracks the door open, and sees it’s just him. It must have been dark, since Ray was in his PJ’s, clutching the bear his dads had bought him.

“Ryan, are you ok?” Ray asks, hugging him on the legs. Ryan shakes his head. “You’re just a baby, you wouldn’t get it.” He says, walking back into his room, and shutting the door. Locking it again.

Ray looks down a bit. “I’m sorry…” he says pitifully, Ryan immediately regretting getting angry with him.

“It’s ok Ray, it’s not your fault..” he says, picking Ray up and putting him on the bed with him. Ray is still holding his bear tightly, and Ryan thought it was pretty dorky looking.

Ray looks at him. “Did you and Geoff fight?” he asks plainly. “Geoff was real sad…”

Ryan doesn’t look at him in the eyes. “No Ray, it’s fine.” He says, taking a deep gulp, him now remembering everything his dad had been saying.

The two sit there, not sure what to really say. It was then that Ryan began wondering why Ray had come in there.

“Ray, why are you in here?” he asks, looking down at his brother. Ray looks up at him, giving him a plain look. “I wanted to ask you a question, cuz you’re the oldest.” He says in a normal tone of voice.

“Oh? What?” he asks, not sure what Ray would want to know from him. After all, he was “dumb” Ryan.

“Can you help me tell Geoff something?” Ray says, giving Ryan a pitiful look. Ryan isn’t sure how to take that question.

“Why do you need my help?” Ryan asks curiously.

“I want to tell Geoff something, but I’m scared…Michael and Gavy say you’d known him the longest and you’d be the best.” Ray says, looking down at his feet, restless and wiggling his feet.

Ryan looks at him. “What? You’re scared of dad? Why?” he asks, unsure of why anyone would be scared of dad.

Ray shakes his head. “Cuz I want him to like me, and I’m scared he don’t…” he says sadly. Ryan again shakes his head. “Why would dad not like you? Dad likes everyone!” he says, getting a little frustrated with the kid.

Ray looks up at him. “Cuz… Cuz I do bad stuff. I made my mommy go away… I don’t want Geoff to go away too. I’m not bad… I promise!.” He says, tearing up a little bit.

Ryan gives him a shocked expression. Who the heck was this kid? This wasn’t Ray! Ray never got sad.

“Ray, what do you want to tell dad?” he asks in a angry tone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“

Geoff, Jack and Burnie all stayed in the living room that night. They couldn’t sleep, and instead decided to talk about the situation. Up until then, they’d all sat in silence.

“Geoff, were you really going to do that? Just leave these kids just like that? Just… So easily!?” Jack says, his voice angered.

Geoff nods his head. “I was thinking about it seriously. Jack, I love them, it’s just… Gahhh… I want to help everyone and help them the most of all.”

Jack gives Geoff a look of disgust. “YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HELP EVERYONE GEOFF! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO HELP THESE KIDS! OUR KIDS! DO THEY MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? WE DON’T NEED SHIT!” Jack screams, Geoff not flinching a bit. Geoff knew he deserved it.

“I know that now Jack. I’m… I’m just stupid. I… I forgot myself..” He says, looking down at his feet.

Burnie lets out a sad sigh. “Geoff, man… I didn’t mean for it to be like this, I’m sorry I caused all this trouble.”

Geoff shakes his head. “It’s my fault Burnie. 100%. I SCREWED UP. Worst of all, Ryan heard it. I’ve planted a seed of doubt in that kid’s mind that he’s never going to forget. He’s always going to wonder now if I really like them, when I’m fucking nuts about them and would do anything for them. Even leave the happiest place I’ve ever been in my life.” He says, now clawing his face and hair.

Jack calms down a bit, slumping back into the couch next to Geoff. He lets out a big sigh. “I know Geoff, but…

“Dad…” Ryan says, all of them looking up immediately.

Ray is holding his hand, Ryan holding his teddy bear. Ray runs up to Geoff and looks at him, his lips moving, but not really forming sentences yet.

“RAY!” Ryan says, the kid now straightening up a bit.

“Geoff. You and Jack said for me to pick a dad tonight.” Ray says, Geoff nodding in agreement.

“Geoff, I want you to be my dad. I love you and Jackie both lots, but…” Ray pauses for a moment, Geoff feeling his heart stiffen.

“But… Jackie says that you’re best daddy ever, and is the most fun. Michael says you’re a doo-doo head, but he’s a dummy. Gabbin says you bought me my teddy for me, and Ryan says he loves you mostest of all! So, I think you’d be the best daddy. I pick you.” Ray says, finishing his thoughts, and now running back to Ryan’s side, clearly embarrassed and nervous for some reason.

Geoff blankly stares into the floor, everything hitting him all at once.

“Dad. Can you be Ray’s dad? Or… Can you not be?“ Ryan says firmly, giving Geoff a dirty look.

Geoff turns up and sees Ryan’s hurt expression, but also Ray’s hopeful one. He stands up from the couch and slowly walks towards them both, kneeling down, and he looks straight into Ray’s eyes.

“Ray, I would love to be your dad. More than anything else in the world.” He says, brushing the kids hair with his hands, Ray smiling and really happy.

He looks up at Ryan now. “Can we talk now?”

~~~~~

Geoff shut the door to his room, Ryan sitting on the bed, both angry and sad. He has a right to be.

“Ryan, can I just talk for a bit and then you yell at me?” Geoff says half-kidding, but Ryan nodding in agreement.

Geoff takes a deep breath. “Kiddo… I can’t take back what I said. I meant it. I wanted to go away and make a lot of money so you kids could all be happy. I honestly thought that was the most important thing right then, and I wanted to help more kids like you.” He says, watching as Ryan fidgets a bit nervously.

“But I was wrong. It took your face and Ray’s words to make me realize that.” He says, now sitting next to Ryan, hugging him with one arm.

“Ryan… Even when I was thinking about leaving… Even in that moment, I couldn’t help but think… How much I’d miss all you, and how bad my heart was about to break. You kids mean more to me than anything else in this world right now, and I was dumb.” He says, feeling Ryan stiffen from his embrace.

Ryan doesn’t budge much. “You were gonna leave me.” He says, holding back his rage and sadness, but it still hiccupping out a bit.

Geoff grabs the kid and pulls him in for a deep, crushing hug. “Not anymore. Not ever again.”

Ryan jumps off him, still angry. “How do I know you mean that!” he says spitefully, tears still welling up a bit. “How do I know that this whole thing just won’t… Go away!”

Geoff thinks and pauses for a moment, but grins a bit as something pops into his head. “Well, how about I don’t ever forget it. Ryan, you and I are going to play a little game called “Forget me Not”.” He says, now laughing a bit.

Ryan looks at him with a confused expression. “Huh?”

Geoff gets off the bed, squats down to Ryan’s level and points to his eye. “When me and my buddies did some stupid stuff to each other, we got really mad, but still wanted to be friends. So we did something called “forget me not”. Where if we were REALLY sorry, and if apologies weren’t enough, we’d punch the guy that did the bad thing as hard as we could, to let the anger go. Then everything would be good again.”

Ryan gives him a very weird expression. “That sounds… Really stupid.”

Geoff nods his head. “It was. It is. But I want you to do it.”

Ryan takes a step back. “Uh… Dad, I’m not going to hit you…”

Geoff lets out a big sigh. “Listen, I was a class A jerk today, and I really hurt your feelings. I will never do it again, and I don’t want to forget how much it hurt you. PUNCH ME! Then I can feel it! I can feel exactly how much I hurt you.” he screams a bit loudly.

Ryan curls his fist up a bit. “Dad… Are you….”

Geoff gives him a stern look. “PUNCH. ME.” He says aggressively.

Ryan takes a deep breath, and pauses for a moment or two.

Geoff is about to utter the words again as Ryan rears his shoulder back, mustering all his strength, grunting as hard as he could and slugging Geoff square in the right eye. With a force as hard as his little body could produce. Which turns out, was a lot.

“GAHHHHH.” Geoff says, not really expecting the kid to punch THAT hard.

Ryan looks apologetic almost immediately. “DAD! I’m sorry!” he says, watching as Geoff removes his hand, seeing a purple welt already forming.

“Dude, you have one hell of an arm. We need you in boxing!” he says, grinning, not mad at all.

Ryan blushes a bit, and Geoff picks him up. “I ain’t forgetting that anytime soon buddy.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Burnie stayed a few more days at the HH. He’d accepted Geoff’s “no” pretty quickly, but liked being around the kids, and was still off a few more days. Plus, it was nice catching up with old friends.

The kids were in the living room eating their dinners, while the adults sat at the table, discussing a few things.

“So… Geoff, Jack tells me that you guys need some funding for another house.” He says, clearing his throat at the dinner table.

Geoff and Jack turned to him. “Uh, Burnie, you’re already a sponsor, we can’t really expect you to give us MORE money.” He says, chuckling nervously.

Burnie waves his hands a bit. “Oh, I know that. But I have been making a few phone calls around after seeing what a big deal this is to you guys and to these kids. I am, after all, a big wig star!” he says, exaggerating for comedic effect.

Jack smiles a bit. “Oh? Did you get us someone?” he asks excitedly.

Burnie nods his head. “Oh yeah, just a little company, nothing that big…” he says, taking another sip of his beverage.

Geoff grins as big as Jack was. “Who?!”

Burnie gives them both a sly look. “Ever heard of a little company called… Bungie?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	6. Lindsay's Trust

Chapter 6 - Lindsay's Trust

_There’s a loud knock at the door._

_“Stay in the corner Lindsay, you’re still in trouble for that sass.” Says a regal elderly voice. Her new mommy was old and wrinkly, and had white hair. She didn’t like her. Mrs. Eldridge hit her with that big cane as hard as she could, for anything. Why had Jay left her there?_

_The home was tiny, but very proper. The furniture smelled funny and had plastic all over them, like a sandwich. Lindsay didn’t like sitting on it, it was sticky and got hot._

_Mrs. Eldridge had pretty flowers everywhere, but Lindsay couldn’t touch them. They were fake though. Lindsay did touch one anyway. It was plastic and hard._

_Mrs. Eldridge opens the door. “OH! Mr. Heyman! It’s so good to see you! What do I owe the pleasure?” she asks, putting on a big smile and taking his hand. Lindsay didn’t like that smile. She lied with that face. But Jay was here!_

_“Just a quick little visit Mr. Eldridge, I just need to speak with Lindsay privately for a moment. Not a big deal, just paperwork, you know.” He says, putting on a smile and rolling his eyes. Lindsay liked Jay’s smile. He was good._

_Mrs. Eldridge escorts Jay into the home, pointing at Lindsay in the corner. “The wonderful little dear is just adorable, but that mouth and attitude.. Ahhh. We’ll get there though.” She says, laughing a big loudly, but still in that fake tone she used._

_Jay takes her by the hand, and they walk into a small bedroom just nearby, him closing the door behind him._

_“Lindsay… I want you to tell me the truth. I called your neighbor, and she says that you don’t ever come out of the house, and said she heard you crying out in the garden. Is everything ok?” he says, squatting down on Lindsay’s level immediately. He looks sternly at her, but with his soft eyes._

_Lindsay doesn’t say anything. Mrs. Eldridge told her not to say anything. She deserved getting hit, she said. She was a bad girl who talked back. She was a bad girl that talked too much. She was a bad girl for everything._

_“I’m here Lindsay. You can tell me anything. Remember our word? If anything bad is happening, all you have to do is say that word, and I’ll take care of you. You don’t even have to tell me what it is right away.” He says, taking her hand, Lindsay pulling it back._

_The two sit there for a while. Lindsay doesn’t say a word, but Jay doesn’t move either. He waits there patiently._

_“Tangerine.” She says painfully._

_Joel picks her up immediately, opening the door to the fake and flowery room the old lady was sitting in. “We’ll be leaving Mrs. Eldridge, your services will no longer be required.”_

_______________

To say the Home Hunters had been busy would be an understatement. Barely a few days after Burnie spoke with Bungie, Geoff and Jack had a very sizable check in their possession. Combining it with the money they had gotten from their other sponsors, they more than met their goal. A second home was now possible, and the agency had already approved the expansion. Jack and Geoff would soon be spending their free time planning for the expansion. There were already kids in mind, Barbara working out the logistics of it all.

As luck would have it, a small home was available next door, and they were already in the process of purchasing it. It would be a few weeks, alongside the time needed to furnish it and make it child-friendly. Though the bigger problem was, of course, finding proper parents for the newest kids. Though they both knew exactly who they wanted. Though that was a conversation to have another day, it was still a month until they could probably get started.

Geoff is snapped back to reality as he hears eager footsteps running towards the living room. “DAD, I’M READY FOR SCHOOL!” a little Ray screams, running with a Power Ranger backpack jingling with his supplies, jumping up and down in front of Geoff. Geoff smiles. “I know you are buddy! You’ve been up since five!” he says with a snarky expression.

Michael and Gavin soon walk into the room together as well. Gavin has a custom RWBY backpack from Burnie, Michael with a Pokemon one. Gavin was holding Michael’s hand, crying a bit. “Michael… I don’t want to go….I’m scared…” Gavin says pathetically, Michael tightening his grip on Gavin’s hand. “Gabbin, it’s gonna be fine. We’re in the same class with Ray, so we’ll take care of you.”

Ray turns around nodding his head. “Gavy, it’s gonna be fun! Dad says we get to learn stuff, read stories, have a nap and play lots of fun games! Oh, and Dad says teach is really cool too!”

Gavin stopped crying a bit at that. “Promise?” he asks, sniffing loudly, both Ray and Michael giving him reassuring looks.

Ryan pops in as well, yawning loudly. He had a leather messenger bag for his backpack, wearing some of Geoff’s old clothes from storage (a Nirvana T-shirt of all things). He was looking a bit deflated from having to go back to school. Geoff knew it was just his age though. Most kids didn’t like school, and would rather hang out or be home.

“Morning Dad.” He yawns painfully.

“Morning kiddo. You ready to head out?” Geoff says, taking stock of his new family, all of them already growing up before his very eyes.

Michel’s hair was a lot longer now, probably requiring a haircut, his height already sprouting like a weed. His attitude was still piss-poor, but he was at least capable of being civil now. Gavin hadn’t changed much, but was becoming more talkative, but still a really shy kid. Ray hadn’t changed much physically either, but was being more open with everyone, though still being fairly secretive about his feelings. Ryan was gaining muscle and height quickly, and was already starting to outgrow some of the stuff they’d bought him last spring. Hence the rummaging through Geoff’s crap, since Ryan didn’t want to go shopping, telling him to worry about the other kids first. Some habits die hard, and that one would likely require a shovel and pounding the kid in the head to make it stick.

Ryan shakes his head. “Oh yes, I live and breathe for being trapped eight hours a day against my will! I’m so eager!” he says sarcastically and with great happiness. Geoff can’t help but notice that Ryan’s picking up his attitude and sayings. Whoops.

“Oh god… The rebellious pre-teen years already?!” Jack says dramatically as he steps into the hallway, rubbing Ryan’s head, Ryan rolling his eyes.

Geoff snickers. “Ok kids. Let’s head off to your first day of school!” he exclaims, all of them except Ray groaning.

~~~~

Courtney’s hospital room was cleared today, only her nurse doing some minor checkups on her equipment. As he writes down the day’s vital signs and her current condition, he smiles, waves and leaves them from the room.

Caiti pats Courtney on the lap.

“I can’t go?” says a pouting Courtney, her voice sad and whiny.

Caiti shook her head. “No sweetheart, the doctors want you to stay just a week longer. By that time, you should be all better though, and we’ll get you right into school! Mr. Reed says you won’t miss much, and already has a seat waiting for you!” she says cheerily, that bringing a half-smile to Courtney’s face.

“Cat… Thank you…” she says a little less cheerful than usual.

She picks up on it. “Courtney, is everything ok sweetheart?” she asks, her voice full of motherly concern.

Courtney nods her head. “Yes. Mommy and Daddy haven’t even come and seen me! I’m worried Caiti, can you tell me if they’re ok?” she says, giving a pleading look to Caiti, the woman’s heart crushed immediately.

She sits in her chair for a moment or two. Caiti closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

“Courtney… I need to tell you something….” She says, preparing her voice to deliver the most vile words that the small girl would likely hear in her entire life.

~~~~

Geoff opens the door to the room K-2, carrying Gavin, the boy hiding in his shoulder. Michael and Ray were hiding behind his back, with Jack waving towards the teacher. There were a gaggle of parents with their children, in various emotional states, ranging from happy to devastated to relieved.

The teacher begins walking towards them, a happy expression on his face. A tall man with short dark black hair, a thin frame, and with shining blue eyes covered in bright yellow glasses. He’s wearing a bright pink button-up shirt, and khaki pants. His expression is warm and inviting, looking the part of educator to a “T”.

The teacher was Carter Reed, a friend of Geoff’s from the agency. Carter had just recently gone back to college to get a degree in teaching, with about two years under his belt now, but about ten years of experience in child protective services. The school had (thankfully) allowed Mr. Reed to get all of his kids in the same classroom (Carter volunteering for them all), where he’d be able to give them the best start in school, considering their various special backgrounds.

Carter walks up, and shakes Geoff’s hand firmly. “Geoff, it is a pleasure to see you again, it’s been far too long!” he says warmly, now looking down at Geoff’s hiding children. “Well now… This must be…. Michael and Ray! Your dad told me all about you guys!” he says in a delighted voice, squatting down on their level, putting his hand out, but maintaining a respectful distance. “I’m Mr. Reed, and I’m going to be your teacher. I hope we can be friends and learn a lot!”

Michael turns away from the man, much to Geoff’s irritation. Older men in positions of power still made Michael very nervous, but he’d already told Carter that. Actually, he’d considering putting Michael in a different class with a female teacher, but knew that the only way to combat this problem was to face it head on. Besides, Carter knew what he was doing, and Geoff had already mentioned Michael’s propensity to use teeth, so he should be fine. Geoff thinks so anyway…

Ray takes Carter’s hand first. “Hi! “I’m Ray Ramsey!” he says proudly, smiling, shaking it goofily. Geoff seriously wondered about Ray sometimes. For everything he’d gone through, Ray NEVER complained and never seemed to have any ill will about it. He’d cry at night sometimes and talk to his bear Mr. Paco, but if there was a big problem like the other kids, Geoff couldn’t see it.

Carter turns to Michael and offers him his hand again. Michael just takes a few steps back, knocking into Jack’s leg, looking very guarded. Mr. Reed stands up smiling, and turns his attention to Gavin. Geoff is grateful that Carter does not push his luck then. As far as Michael had come, he’d probably still bite him.

Carter goes behind Geoff. “And this must be Gavin!” he says, seeing as Gavin peeks his head out slightly, but hides again almost immediately. He’d stopped crying in the car, thankfully, with Michael and Ray beside him, but he still maintained his nervous attitude about everything.

“Well Gavin, your dad Jack tells me that you like reading. I can’t wait to teach you how to read! Then you can read whenever you want! We also have story time, and it’s really fun!” Carter says excitedly, Gavin smiling a bit as Geoff puts him down next to Michael and Ray.

They all look up at him and Jack, all of them a little nervous, but in various states. Michael’s nervous because of Carter. Gavin’s nervous because of all the people there. Ray? Well, Geoff doesn’t know what that kid’s thinking.

Geoff takes a knee, putting his hands on Michael and Gavin’s shoulders, Ray in the middle, pulling them all in for a big group hug. “Kiddos, I love ya! Have a great day with Mr. Reed, do what he says and play nice with everyone. I’ll be here to pick you up just as school lets out, we’ll grab Ryan and we’ll all go home and hear all about your day!” he says, a little sad himself. It was painful letting them go, he wanted to just homeschool them and keep them all to himself. But… This was for the best. School would toughen them up for the real world over time, and give them the social skills they all lacked or needed to develop. Jack takes his turn hugging the kids and saying goodbye. As they turn away, they hand them all off to Carter, and the two of them slowly walk out the door.

Gavin trying to move towards them, but Michael and Ray hold him back, both of them taking his hands.

Geoff chuckles. These kids are going to be just fine…

~~~~~

Kara had Dan in her arms as they walked through the door to Mr. Reed’s classroom. Carter had been her mentor back in the agency, and she was thrilled that Dan would get someone that knew so much about children, especially children from rough backgrounds.

She’d been just a little bit late getting there, since Dan wasn’t too fond of the idea of leaving her. Not that she was much better off. She loved the little guy a ton, and wanted more than anything to just let him stay home and be safe from the big bad world. Sadly, that wasn’t in his best interests.

Still, that didn’t mean she couldn’t take the long way to the school.

Mr. Reed is already speaking to the children as she waves through the window, but he stops mid sentence, waving for them to enter. “I’ll be just a second, it looks like we’ve got another friend joining us!” he says excitedly, walking over to Kara, everyone staring at her and Dan.

“Is this Daniel?” Carter asks her, Kara nodding her head. “Yep, but he likes being called Dan.” She says, knowing that Dan wouldn’t bring that up himself. Carter smiles. “Dan it is!”

Kara sets the child down, and hugs him one last time. “Have fun Dan. Remember what we talked about! Just be yourself and you’ll be fine! Good luck!” she says, winking and giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. Dan takes Carter’s hand, and the two walk back into the classroom, her waving goodbye.

~~~~~

It was early in the morning, nearly six AM. The only three people in the whole kindergarten building were Joel, Mr. Reed and Lindsay.

Joel had called his old pupil Carter ahead of time, asking him if they could come in early. Lindsay was already having minor fits over school, and he wanted to insure she knew she’d be safe there. That was the most important thing in Joel’s world right now.

Lindsay was putting her backpack up in her cubby hole, looking now for her desk in the classroom. There were colorful animals on each of the desks, which represented a student’s place in the room. She was looking for a bright red flamingo.

Joel and Carter were off to the side, speaking in hushed tones.

“Zero trust. For anything. Except me. That’s not good.” Joel says, shaking his head in frustration. Carter pats him on the back. “Joel, don’t beat yourself up. It’s not your fault, and don’t go down this road. Too many good people screw up like that, don’t lose yourself in your head. That’s what ended me, and they can’t lose you too.” He says, shaking his head.

Joel sighs. “I know. I know that logically. I’m not blaming myself, I’m blaming that fucking insane crone. She’d raised six children of her own, she looked so… Good! Her kids were great! It’s insane, I would have never imagined in my LIFE that she would be so…. So….” Joel says, mumbling at the end, taking deep breathes to calm himself.

Carter adjusts his glasses a bit. “What’s done is done, and you can’t take it back now. Work on solving her problems long term and just be there for her. You’re the only friend she has in the world right now, and I’ll try my best to be a friend too, if she’ll let me. We’ll also see if we can get her some interaction with other kids before her desk mate shows up. Courtney should be here in about a week.”

Joel nods his head. “Let’s hope that she finds someone, especially considering I promised her she would. But yeah, please be there for her. I told her you and I are best friends. She calmed down a bit, but still is a little scared.” He says chuckling at the comment.

Carter rolls his eyes. “Oh yeah, best friends. Did you tell her the time you wrapped my entire office in bubble wrap?”

Joel laughs, remembering the hilarious expression on his face as he returned from a short vacation.

Lindsay ran up to Joel, and held his hand tightly. “Jay, I found my desk.” She says, avoiding Carter at all costs. Joel smiles. “Great! Can I introduce you to your teacher? He’s the only adult you’ll have to be with all day, and he’s my BEST friend from work. He used to be just like Barbie!” he says, Lindsay letting her brain and heart think about that a bit.

Carter doesn’t move or make any advances, and eventually Lindsay looks up at him.

He smiles and slowly bends down on his knee to Lindsay’s height. “My name is Mr. Reed, but you can call me Carter if you want. Joel and I knew each other for a long time before I became a teacher, so I’m a lot like him. I tell bad jokes too.” He says, snickering a bit.

Lindsay’s face doesn’t change. Not that he expected it to. All he wanted was them to have an easier transition once he left. One that didn’t leave her in tears. He never wanted that girl to cry ever again.

~~~~~

Gavin was coloring pictures with Michael and Ray at their table with another boy named Daniel. Daniel didn’t talk much. Mr. Reed said to color something to take home and give it to someone they loved lots. Gavin was coloring seriously, wanting to give Jackie something really good.

“Gabbin, how do you color so pretty?!” Michael says, squinting his eyes and getting a jealous expression over his face.

Gavin’s cartoon cat is neatly colored orange even with some yellow patches, him coloring evenly and neatly inside the lines. Michael’s blue cat wasn’t as pretty, with scribbles outside of it, him lacking the patience to take his time and do it properly.

Ray lifts his picture up. “Gavy, is mine cool?!” he asks excitedly. His cat is colored in neon pink, really silly looking and messy, but Ray having drawn a cool red flower in the cat’s hand. “Its REALLY cool Ray! I love the flower!” he says, Ray smiling.

Michael pounds his head against the desk. “I stink.” He says in defeat.

Daniel starts laughing softly.

Gavin looks at the boy Daniel’s cat. It’s messy like Michael’s, but it’s green and brown. It looks like a tree.

“Daniel, your cat is cool too! What is it?!” Gavin asks, smiling and curious. Dan gets a bright expression on his face. “Thanks Gavin. It’s an army cat!.” he says in a tone of voice that Gavin and everyone else immediately recognizes.

Michael raises his head up quickly. “HEY! You talk like Gabbin!”

Ray puts down his cat and looks at Dan curiously. “Are you and Gavy family?”

Daniel shakes his head. “No… I’ve never seen Gavin before.” He says, in a now curious voice as well.

Their teacher walks by the table. “How are you boys doing?” he asks, looking at them. Mr. Reed was REALLY nice like Jack said, so Gavin guessed he was ok.

Michael turns away from the man, Ray looking up at him. “Mr. Reed, how come Gavy and Daniel talk alike?”

Mr. Reed chuckles. “Well, I think it’s probably because they both came from England, or learned how to speak from people that came from there. England is a country kind of like America all the way across the ocean, and they talk a little differently than we do here. I think it’s a really cool voice, don’t you guys?!” he says, patting Dan and Gavin on the backs. Ray gives them a thumbs up, and Michael doesn’t say anything, but just nods his head.

Gavin notices that Daniel looks down, not facing Mr. Reed, him looking a little upset. As Mr. Reed walks away to check on the other children, Gavin pokes Daniel on the arm. “Daniel? Are you ok?” he asks, his voice full of concern.

Daniel shakes his head. “I miss Kara. She’s my new mommy, because my first mum was bad.”

Gavin’s gets a shocked look on his face. “You have a new mommy? My mum and father went to heaven, so I have two new daddies now!”

Ray pipes in as well, jumping up and down on his chair. “My mommy went away too. I have a new daddy too!”

Michael gets a huffy breath, not saying anything.

“Oh! Kara said I might sit with boys like me. I guess that was you!” Daniel says, smiling with a happy face.

Gavin pulls into the desk closer. “What’s your mommy like Daniel?” he asks curiously.

Daniel shakes his head. “Call me Dan, that’s my other name I like better. Oh, and Kara is really nice! She bought me army men to play with, she got me a cool friend named Caleb, and she plays the bad guys when we play army so I can shoot them. She cooks lots of yummy foods, aaaaaand she makes me cakes! What’s your dads like Gavin?” he asks eagerly.

Gavin smiles. “My dad Jack is really nice! He reads me a lot of stories, draws with me, and is showing me how to play Mario and not die so much! My other dad Geoff is kind of weird, but he’s nice too. He plays catch with me!”

Ray interrupts them. “Geoff is my dad too! He’s cool! We play superheros and he lets me fly!”

Dan gets a shocked look on his face. “Oh, are you guys brothers?!”

Ray and Gavin nod their heads. “Michael too!”

Dan turns to the still sulking Michael and gives him a curious look. “Do you like your dads Michael?”

“They’re not my dads…. They’re my big brothers…” He says angrily, not saying anything else. Dan smiles still. “Cool!”

The four of them talk while they finish coloring, learning more and more about each other. They talked more about their parents, both new and old, and what kind of games they like to play.

Michael, though, doesn’t say much. Gavin wonders if he’s sick…

~~~~

Ryan was sitting in Science class, listening to what they were going to learn that year. He was sitting next to Kerry, and Miles was right behind him. The classroom was pretty small, with only about twenty people fitting in it. They went to a pretty small school outside of town, so there weren’t that many people in his grade.

They started rotating classes now, but his best buds were in his homeroom, so they all got to travel together!

Kerry was shorter than him and Miles, with a dark blond haircut, and usually a goofy look on his face. Actually, he was kind of nerdy, even for them. He liked writing stories and stuff about them, and wanted to make some comic book. His drawing sucked though.

Miles was taller than them both, and had spiky black hair that looked really cool. He played basketball a lot with his dad and was really good, so he was strong too. He, Kerry and Ryan were going to play on the school team this year together, but Ryan wasn’t sure if he’d make the cut or not. Geoff had been taking him to the courts though, so he was getting better. Slowly…

“And that covers everything. It’s the first day, so we don’t really do much outside of me talking for ten minutes. Find two partners for your year-end project, and stick with them. Talk amongst yourselves quietly until the bell rings.” Their teacher says, sitting back down at his desk, now dully flipping through one of his books, taking attendance.

Miles pulls his chair up to the long desk that Kerry and Ryan shared, grinning big. “Ok, partners?”

“PARTNERS” they all say simultaneously, fist bumping.

Miles turns to Ryan. “Dude, how was your summer? Mom drug me all across the damn country, I was so BORED!” he says, watching as Kerry recoiled a bit. “Dude, don’t cuss in school!” he says with a worried tone. Miles rolls his eyes and Ryan snickered a bit. Kerry hated anything that was against the rules, and they loved teasing him about it.

“Awww…. Don’t be such a little….” Miles starts, now whispering in Kerry’s ear. “BITCH!” he says softly, but loud enough that Ryan heard it, the two of them snorting as Kerry blushed.

Ryan gets the conversation back on track. “It was cool. Dad and I went fishing a lot, I got a couple new brothers, and met one of the guys that made the Dead Fantasy movie. He’s a friend of my dad’s.”

Kerry nearly blew a gasket. “YOU WHAT?!” he says excitedly, with a look of disbelief. Kerry had seen the movie nearly twenty times in theatres, dragging them along for over half of them.

Miles slams his hands on the table. “You’re shitting me.” He says, just as shocked.

Ryan nods his head. “YEAH! I met Burns, the director. He autographed some DVDs for you guys, they’re at my house!” he says, watching them melt in jealousy.

Kerry shakes his head. “DUDE! Why didn’t you call me!?” he shouts angrily, giving him a disgusted look.

Ryan shrugs his shoulders. “You were at camp, and he only stayed three days. He’s coming back though, don’t know when.”

Miles frowned. “Gahhhhh. I’ll have to talk mom into letting me go over. She HATES your dad’s tats, and thinks he’s a bad influence on me.”

Ryan rolls his eyes. “PLEASE. Dad is like the best guy ever, and doesn’t let Michael get away with ANYTHING. Bad influence nothing, you’re just an ass.” He says, Miles snickering at the comment.

Kerry gets a curious look on his face. “Oh, didn’t you say you got new brothers? What’s up with that?”

Ryan smiles. “SO much better than Michael. They don’t bite or kick. One is this really shy kid named Gavin, and the other one is this cool little guy named Ray.”

Miles gets a serious look on his face. “Are they… Uh… You know…”

Ryan nods his head. “Yeah, they’re fosters. They’re staying though, so no worries.”

Kerry’s face goes dark too. “Uh… They ok?”

Ryan smiles. “Yeah.. A little rough around the edges maybe, but they’re cool. Gavin’s like this super shy English kid though, so if he runs away from you guys, don’t feel bad. Ray’s cool though. He looks Hispanic or something, but he’s really friendly. He also kicks my butt at games, and he’s like five.”

Miles and Kerry relax a bit, but still are a little tense. Kerry’s the first to talk. “Uh… Are YOU ok dude? I mean… That stuff was crazy last year, my mom didn’t stop crying for a week.”

Miles puts his hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “I still… I don’t know how you did that for so long… Mom says if you EVER need anything to just run over, no questions asked.”

Ryan nodded his head. “Yeah guys, I’m good. Dad’s taking good care of me, and I’m… I’m good.” He says sincerely, his friends slowly accepting that.

“You look good.” Kerry says openly.

I feel good.. Ryan thinks to himself.

~~~~

The teacher said they could all play inside for recess now, since it was too hot outside. After the coloring for home, they read a story and learned about the letter A. Now Mr. Reed said they could play with the toys in the room, so long as they picked up everything real good when he clapped his hands loudly.

“Gavin! Can we play legos? I wanna build a spaceship!” Dan asks Gavin, him nodding his head excitedly. Gavin takes Dan’s hand, and they walk over to the blocks.

Michael scrunches his face, snorting loudly in retort. Michael didn’t like Dan, Gavin was HIS brother, not Dan’s. They talked ALL morning together, and Gavin never once needed Michael’s help.

Ray smiles and pokes Michael on the arm. “Michael, can we go play with Dan and Gavy?” he asks politely. Michael shakes his head. “I’m staying here. Dan’s a buttface.” He says, grabbing his ugly looking cat, and pulling another crayon out, trying to color over the white gaps in it. He’d wanted to give it to Gavin, but it looked stupid right now. He’d fix it.

Ray gives him a weird look. “Michael, Dan is COOL. He’s like us too! Let’s play together!” he says, trying to pull Michael up from the table. Michael isn’t budging anytime soon and Ray eventually just gives up, running off and joining the group of kids at the lego blocks.

No he’s not… I don’t have a daddy. Or a mommy. I’m not like you guys…

Michael colors by himself for a few minutes, trying to make his as pretty as Gavin’s when Mr. Reed sits down next to him, but still giving him plenty of personal space.

“Hey Michael! Don’t you want to go play with your brothers? Your dad told me that you and Gavin are really good friends! It looks like Daniel is having fun with them too!” he asks, giving Michael a nice smile.

Michael didn’t say anything, just turning his head down. Stupid grownups. Stupid Mr. Reed. Stupid Dan.

Mr. Reed waits there patiently for a minute or two, just watching Michael color. He doesn’t say anything, and Michael wishes he’d go away. The teacher doesn’t say much, but claps his hands together a bit. “Well Michael, if you want to color by yourself, would you mind if another little girl colors with you? She’s a little scared today, and I think she could use a good buddy.” The teacher says, standing up.

Michael doesn’t say anything, or even look at Mr. Reed. “Whatever.” He says, not taking his attention away from the paper. “Thank you Michael.” He says, getting up quickly and moving across the classroom.

A minute or so later, a little girl sits down next to him in Gavin’s chair. She was as tall as Michael, but had long brown hair. She doesn’t say anything, Mr. Reed putting her paper and crayon box in front of her.

“Michael, this is Lindsay. I thought you two could play together!” Mr. Reed says, smiling and walking away, checking on the other children.

They sit in silence, neither of them really talking much. The girl peeks up a bit and looks at Michael’s coloring.

“Your cat looks weird. You should color more carefully, like this!” Lindsay says, trying to show him on a blank piece of paper next to him.

Michael gives the girl an angry face, looking down at her own cat. It wasn’t THAT pretty. She just colored better than him.

“Butt-face.” Michael says, not looking at her.

They sit in silence again, the girl Lindsay huffing her breath. “Don’t color over the lines dummy. Go slow and it’ll be pretty!.” She exclaims, her voice full of concern for Michael’s abused cat.

“Shut up.” Michael says, coloring out of the lines on purpose now, scribbling all over the picture in frustration.

Linsday frowns. “You ruined it. Don’t’ you want to make it pretty for your mom?”

Michael gets a really angry face and crumples the picture up as hard as he could, throwing it on the floor. “I don’t have a mom anymore!” he says loudly, but the words being drowned out by the volume of all the other students. Only Lindsay had heard it.

She gets really quiet, frowning, her hair covering her face. “Sorry.”

“It was stupid anyway. Gavin wouldn’t like it, it’s ugly.” He says, looking at Gavin and his friends. He wanted to play legos and get away from the stupid girl.

They sit there until Mr. Reed claps his hands loudly, her getting up and going back to her seat. Michael doesn’t notice her pick up his crumpled coloring, taking it back to her seat.

~~~~~~~~~~~

School was over, and kids started getting picked up from their parents. Lindsay watched as mommies, daddies and grandmas got their pictures, smiling proudly and hugging them tightly.

Lindsay saw Jay walking through the doors, and wanted to run to him immediately. She didn’t like school. It was bad, and she was bad. She made that boy Michael mad and throw away his picture for his brother. She probably needed to be hit. Mrs. Eldridge was right. She was no good.

She doesn’t race down the hallway though, and instead turns her back to him, looking around the classroom, with kids scattered around, waiting for their mommies and daddies to come and pick them up. Finally, she sees the blond boy, and walks up to him slowly, poking him on the shoulder carefully.

“Are you Gabbin?” she asks, the boy turning around as he gets his backpack off the cubby holes Mr. Reed gave them.

“Yes.” He says plainly, looking a little nervous.

Lindsay pulls out the little ball of paper in her pocket, and hands it to him. “That boy Michael made that for you. I made him mad and he threw it away. I’m sorry.” She says, now running off from Gavin, and into Jay’s arms. He picks her up and she buries her face into his shoulder, trying not to cry.

“Jay, can we go home? PLEASE?! I hate school!” she says loudly, but muffled in his shirt. Joel frowns a bit, but they walk out silently, him hugging her tightly.

~~~~

Geoff and Jack had taken the kids out to eat dinner that night after school, letting them go to a nearby pizza place that had all kinds of games. The highlight of the evening had been when Ray won TWO dolls from the claw machine, winning a bet against Jack who said he couldn’t do it. Ryan actually caught it on film with Geoff’s smartphone, and they had a great shot of it for a picture.

After the festivities, they all came home, each of the kids presenting them with some picture they colored in class.

“Awww… Gavin, this is adorable! What’s his name?” Jack says, pinning the colored cat picture on the fridge.

Gavin blushed a bit. “Joe. Dan named him though!” he says proudly.

Geoff chuckles. “Is this Dan your buddy Gavin? You talked about him all during dinner!” he says, pinning up Ray’s pink cat with the flower. “TO DAD” is written in a formal handwriting in red crayon. Ray had asked Mr. Reed to title it.

“He’s my friend too dad! He sits with us at school and is fun! He knows how to build cool legos!” Ray says, smiling with that same face he always had.

Geoff turns his attention to his other kid. “What about you Michael? Did you have a cat picture too?”

Michael had been sulking on the couch, playing Minecraft on the TV with Ryan since they got home. He doesn’t say anything, and tries hard to murder Ryan on the game, but Ryan is too quick to be killed.

“Yeah Geoff! He gave it to me! Can we put it on the fridge too?!” Gavin says cutely, running to his backpack, and grabbing a rather crumpled looking paper, but folded in half.

Michael turns around immediately, hopping on the back of the couch, straddling it. “WHERE’D YOU GET THAT!? I THREW IT AWAY!” he says raging and embarrassed.

Gavin smiled. “The girl you colored with at recess gave it to me. She said you got mad at her, and she was sorry.”

Michael jumped off the couch and rushed to Gavin. “Gabbin, it’s not good, throw it away!” he exclaims, trying to pull it out of his hands, but Gavin shielding it from him.

“No! I like it Michael!” he says, handing it to Geoff for safety, who dangles it in the air away from Michael’s jumping range.

Geoff unfolds it and stifles a laugh. It’s bad, no doubt. The cat is nonexistent at this point, just covered in endless blue crayon. Why blue of all things?

Gavin smiles as Geoff sticks it high up on the fridge, above the other two. He turns acround, watching Michael pout, hitting Gavin on the shoulder.

“I tried making your favorite… It’s no good…” Michael says, slumping to the floor angrily.

Geoff looks down at Michael, not sure what he means.

“That white lady. Wice. But I didn’t do good…” Michael says dissapointedly. “Stupid Lindsee!” he says as Gavin hugs him. “Aww… Michael, thank you for trying. I do love Weiss!”

Geoff smiles at his kids. They really were the single most adorable things on the planet.

~~~~~

“Mr. Reed said you colored with a boy today at recess. Was it fun?” Joel asks, watching Lindsay pick anxiously at her food in his car. He’d gotten them take-out Chinese, her favorite, and they went to a drive-in movie.

She needed a pick-me-up, telling him she didn’t like school very much, and wanted to go back to work with him. Carter called him and explained she’d had a rough day. The only other girl at her desk (Caiti’s girl Courtney) wouldn’t be in school for a couple of weeks while she recovered in the hospital. She’d start late, but Carter had said it would be the best partnership, since they’d have common ground. He’d keep her company until Courtney started coming to school. Still, she was all alone, and the only boy she talked to that day yelled at her.

“I made him mad… He yelled at me…” she says, her expression distraught.

Joel looks her over. “Oh? What was his name?”

Lindsay sniffs a bit. “Michael. He hates me too… Just like mom and dad and Mrs. Eldridge…” she says, the words plunging into Joel’s heart like a knife.

Wait.. Michael?!

“Was his name Michael Jones? Did he sit with a boy named Gavin or Ray?” he asks curiously. Lindsay nodded her head.

“Oh Lindsay.. I actually know Michael. He’s a friend of mine!” he exclaims, Lindsay’s turning to him immediately, giving him a shocked expression, not sure how to take the news.

“Michael is the son of two of my very best workers I ever had. Kind of like Mr. Reed was. Want me to tell you a secret?” he says playfully, Lindsay nodding her head quickly.

“Michael doesn’t hate you. He’s just REALLY loud and probably scared of school like you are, or had a bad day too. I bet he’d talk or play with you again if you asked.” He says softly, Lindsay’s face analyzing the situation.

“You promise?…..” she says reluctantly, taking a big bite of her rice, feeling a bit better.

Joel nods his head. “I promise! Trust me!” he says, him regretting the words immediately. Her face turns dark, not sure what to believe.

Joel bites his lip, hoping sincerely that Michael wouldn’t prove him wrong.

~~~~~~

Geoff tucked Michael into bed, rubbing his hair. “Kiddo, tomorrow will be better. Promise!” he says, giving Michael a strong smile. Michael told him privately that he didn’t like school. Nobody played with him, he had said. He didn’t do good with work, and screwed up too much, he said. Geoff would talk to Gavin later, or text Carter to tell him about it. They’d take care of it.

Michael doesn’t say much to that, and Geoff begins to leave, but the kid grabs the waistband of his pajama pants, and pulls him back.

Geoff turns back around, looking at Michael’s bashful face, the kiddo not looking at him in the eye.

“I don’t want a dad, but I need one for school. So, can you be mine? You’re not the worst.” He says painfully.

Geoff gives him a really big smile. “You need me for school? Mr. Reed didn’t tell me about that!” he says playfully, jumping on the bed next to Michael, laying down next to him. “What’s up?” he asks, taking Michael’s glasses off and sticking them on the night stand, the boy still not looking directly at him.

Michael turns his face away. “Gabbin, Ray and that dumb Dan all have a mom or dad they talked about all day. I want one too so I can play legos with them and talk about my stinky daddy too. I wanna be like them too.”

Geoff snorts, and pats Michael on the head. “Remember what I said a long time ago Michael? I’ll be whatever you want me to be. A big brother, a friend, or a father, whatever you need me to be as long as I can protect you and take care of you. You don’t have to even ask. I’d love to be your daddy.”

“Fine, you’re my daddy now. Congratulations. Good night! I’m tired!” he says angrily, throwing the covers over his face, embarrassed.

Geoff smiles a bit, and hugs Michael from under the covers, and kissing him on the back of the head. “Ok. Good night… Son.” He says, getting off the bed and walking towards the door, turning off the light.

“Night… Daddy.” He says quietly, but loud enough that Geoff heard it, him almost breaking out in tears then and there.

~~~~~~

(The next day, recess)

“Dan! Can we play Cherrios?” Gavin asks playfully, Dan nodding his head, running off to get the game from the shelf.

Ray turns to Michael. “You gonna play with us or that dumb girl today? Cuz Dad says for me to play with you, but I wanna play with Dan!” he asks, looking harsh at Michael.

Michael nods his head. “Yeah….” He says, looking over at the girl Lindsay. She’s coloring with Mr. Reed, them all alone, her looking really sad. She looks like Michael did yesterday. Kind of like when Michael moved in with Geo… Daddy. It bugged him. Her stupid face. She was a stupid butt for giving Gavin that picture too. But Gavin liked it. So he guessed it was ok.

Michael gets up from his chair, giving Gavin a stern look. “Don’t start without me!” he commands, Gavin promising quickly. Michael rushes over to Lindsay’s table, and pokes Mr. Reed on the shoulder.

The teacher turns his head, looking at Michael with a smiling face. “Hey there Michael, can I help you with something?” he asks, smiling politely. He had a face like Geoff or Jack. Michael guessed he was ok.

“Can Lindsay play with us? She’s better than me at colors, but I’m gonna beat her at cherrios.” Michael says, giving her an angry and competitive look.

Mr. Reed grins. “Lindsay, you wanna go play with Michael and his brothers? I bet you’d have fun!” he says.

Lindsay pauses for a moment or two, her mouth wide open but nods her head.

~

_“Jay, I don’t want to go to school!” she says, tears running down her face, clamping onto him as hard as she could. Jay was the only nice person in the world. Everyone else just hurt her. She wanted to stay with Jay!_

_“Lindsay… I’m sorry, but you have to go to school. That’s just the way things go. But listen, I promise that you’ll LOVE your teacher, Mr. Reed is a good friend of mine. He already knows to take good care of you, and won’t let anyone hurt you. We’re going early so I can show you!” Joel says, patting Lindsay on the head._

_They were in his tiny apartment, only one bedroom a tiny bathroom, everything else combined in one big open space. Joel lavished living like a bachelor, and it was thinly furnished, but had really expensive toys everywhere. Big screen TV, game systems lining the table that held the TV, shelves full of DVDs. Lindsay had been using his bed, Joel sleeping on the couch, it littered with a few sheets._

_Lindsay shook her head as hard as she could, jingling her powerpuff girls backpack, already wrinkling her pretty dress. “You said my new mommy wouldn’t hurt me either! You’re lying Jay! Don’t make me go! I don’t want to go! Nobody likes me! Nobody wants me! I’m just a bad girl! Don’t make me go! I just want YOU Jay!” she screams, tightening her grip on him._

_Joel rubs her head gently. “Lindsay. I can never apologize for that enough, but I want you to trust me on this. I will NEVER as long as I live, ever make you hurt again. If you go to school, you’ll meet someone. A friend. Someone that you’ll have fun with, and someone who will make you feel better. You’re not a bad girl, and everybody will love you! It’ll be the most fun ever!” he says in an upbeat voice, trying to reason with the child._

_She shakes her head, sobbing more loudly into his shoulder._

_“YOU’RE A LIAR! NOBODY WILL WANT TO PLAY WITH ME. I’LL BE ALL ALONE AGAIN! DON’T LEAVE ME JAY! PLEASE!” she screams, her voice echoing loudly in the small apartment, Joel slowly sitting down, comforting the crying mess in his arms._

~~~~

Lindsay takes Michael’s hand, her eyes shocked as he pulls her out of her chair and towards the small group of boys, already setting up the game board.

About halfway through the walk, Michael stops for a second. “Thank you Lindsee. Gabbin liked the picture. You’re nice. I’m sorry I yelled.” He says, not looking back at her, then pulling her hand again.

She doesn’t say anything, but smiles.

You were right Jay….

Michael arrives at their table and gives them all a stern look. “Guys, this is Lindsee! She’s playing with us! OK!?” he says, giving them more of a command than a request.

Lindsay watches at they all smile and welcome her, the boy Gavin hugging her tightly. “Thank you for yesterday Lindsee! I loved the picture!”

You… You were right Jay…. You’re so smart!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter smiles as his group of “problem children” (as the school called it) all sat and played Hi-Ho Cherrios.

Michael was loud, but made sure Gavin and Lindsay never got last place, throwing his cherries at them if they didn’t get enough. Gavin was still shy around Lindsay, but started talking to her about their daddies. Ray cared a little too much about winning and was hypercompetitive, but having a fun time. Dan tried playing peacekeeper when things got a little heated, but just ended up yelling as loud as Michael did. Lindsay just sat there dumbfounded, but smiling and having fun, loving every moment of it.

Carter noticed that the clock was far past when recess should have ended, but gave them a few more minutes. Popping behind his desk, he secretly pulled out his cell phone, and composed a group SMS quickly, in the span of just a few seconds.

~

_To: Jack, Geoff, Kara, Joel, Barbie_

_Carter: HH Kids are going to be just fine at school. They’re already fast friends and playing games together. It’s so cute, I wish I could take a photo. :3_

_Jack: Awesome! Is Gavin ok? He talking enough?_

_Geoff: Frigging sw33t! Did Mikey bite anyone?_

_Kara: :)_

_Joel: Best news all year, hands down. I’ll call you later._

_Barbie: Wonderful! Can’t wait for them to move in together! They’re gonna be so good together!_

~

Carter looks up, grinning from ear to ear, and starts clapping his hands together, the entire room giving him dirty and disgusting looks, letting out big and disagreeable moans and whines.

Oh well. Doesn’t make me any less happy.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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	7. Courtney's Flame

Chapter 7 - Courtney's Flame

_Courtney was outside her small home, humming her ABCs that her daddy taught her. She was sitting in the flower garden, picking flowers for their home. Mommy and daddy had been cooking all day, telling her not to be in the house until they said so. They said they needed to sell the food to make some money, but wouldn’t ever have to do it again. Something about Daddy’s doctor bills. Daddy got sick a while ago, but was getting better! Courtney wondered what they were cooking though. They’d been working ALL day long!_

_Courtney loved her home and her mommy and daddy. They played with her whenever she wanted, let her pick the pretty flowers in the front yard, and would take her to swing all day long if she wanted! She loved swinging, it was like flying high in the air! If mommy wasn’t there, daddy would push her as hard as she wanted! Sometimes she reached up as far as the trees in their backyard! Mommy didn’t like that though, and would yell at daddy”._

_“Courtney, honey? Can you come here real quick, but stay far away, ok?” a soft and kind voice says. It’s Courtney’s mother, walking out of the home, pulling off a spooky mask. Mommy said it was so she didn’t have to smell the onions._

_She dropped the small bouquet she’d been gathering, and runs right over, but still staying pretty far away like mommy said. “Yes Mommy?” Courtney asks, smiling and excited. She really couldn’t wait for them to be done. They were gonna go eat out that night._

_Her mother is a tall woman, with a medium build, but beautiful short blonde hair that matched her daughter’s almost perfectly. She leans down and kisses Courtney on the head. “Honey, Daddy and I are almost done. Finish up the flowers soon, but don’t come back until we say so, ok?” she says kindly, but serious._

_Courntey nods her head. “Yes Mommy!”_

_She rushes back, and picks up the handful of flowers, checking them over. They’re missing something…_

_Courtney looks over at her Mommy’s face. She looks sad and tired. Courtney wondered what was wrong…_

_OH! She knew what to do! Courtney knew just the thing for people that needed to feel better. Her Mommy had told her not too long ago, and knew exactly what she needed!_

_Still clutching her flowers, she runs far away from the house and goes up to the biggest bush they had in the whole flower garden. She begins reaching up for it, and hears a REALLY loud noise._

_Courtney turns around, seeing fire shoot out of her house’s windows, and her face gets REALLY hot as it hits her, but she covers it immediately! She doesn’t react quickly enough, and something big, hot and heavy hits her in the tummy, throwing her against the prickly bushes, her flowers falling from her hands, scattering over the yard._

_She gets really sleepy then and her head is all funny feeling…_

_As she closes her eyes, she sees her beautiful flowers start to curl up, engulfed in tiny flames, reducing themselves to nothing but charred, blackened remains._

~~~~

Barbara’s office was incredibly cluttered and messy for her usual tidy self, but she didn’t have the time or energy to care.

She had been engulfed in work lately, still putting everything into it since her adventure with Gavin. Between her three or four cases she was actively working, the planning for the new HomeHunter 2 kids, as well as her… Well, she put that at the back of her mind. That wasn’t to decide right away, and there were more important things to do. She would cross that bridge when she came to it.

There’s a knock at her door, and Barbara notices that it’s Caiti through the blurry class. She waves at her, and Caiti walks in, with her usual cheery self, giving Barbara a great big smile. “Hi Barbara, I was hoping to take a bit of your time today if you can spare it. Professional matter, nothing personal, I know you’re busy.” She says, clearing off a spot on a chair in front of Barbara’s desk, throwing the stacks of paperwork underneath it and plopping down.

Barbara was a bit surprised, to be honest. As good of an agent as Caiti was, she hadn’t asked for any help whatsoever, which was odd for a new senior staff member, since there’s a whole wonderland of paperwork to decipher. She was quiet, nice, and efficient. Though… Hard to get to know very well.

“Of course sweetheart, what’s up?” she says, putting down her pencil and focusing her attention entirely on Caiti.

Caiti takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and meditates for a minute or two, finally re-opening her eyes. She takes off her glasses, and her eyes become focused directly on Barbara. She sees a transformed woman. Her usually playful demeanor melted and went to one of strict professionalism.

“I’d like to submit one of my children, Courtney, to the HomeHunters program. I have the paperwork already completed, filed, collated and copied for the rest of the senior staff, our director, and the HH directors. You don’t have to do a thing, it’s all been taken care of. I understand there’s already two being processed and verified for the move in a couple of weeks, but I believe it is the best environment for her, and anything short of constant care from a professional would be detrimental to her overall well being. After learning about her parents and moving in with me, I can see her shutting down to the world, trying to ignore her feelings. The playful and kind girl that she was just last week is losing her spark, and she’s slipping away from me, unable to cope with the situation properly. She’s not angry, not crying, not really responding in any real healthy way that I can see. Courtney is trying to be tough, but it’s not what is best, and I’m worried she might slip into depression…” she says, Barbara frowning at the news. Caiti had been bragging so much about her kid, it upset her to see that it wasn’t so anymore. Though it wasn’t uncommon. Kids were human too, and their emotions were just as much of a roller coaster as theirs were.

“She cried once with me, but that was about it, right after I told her. The next day, she’s just focusing entirely on something, as if she’s just… Trying to not think about it, and bottling everything up in that sad little head of hers. It’s like she’s going into a state of prolonged shock, and there are days I just see her… Sitting there, just looking at the wall, just thinking or saying anything to not accept it or confront it. When she’s there, I can’t even make contact with her, it’s like she’s in a coma, but awake and functional.” She says, exhaling deeply.

Returning the glasses to her face, she looks Barbara back in the eye, with the same determined expression, but cracking a bit.

“I won’t take no for an answer Barbara. If I have to, I’ll go to Gus. If he says no, then I’ll go beg on hands and knees to Geoffrey and Jack. If they’re not on board then… I’ll…. I’ll….” She stutters for a second.

“Caiti…” Barbara says with a concerned tone, watching the girl’s heart break into a million pieces. Barbara saw that Caiti let her heart too much into this one. Not that she blamed her but… It was clearly destroying her.

Barbara gets off her desk and moves quickly to Caiti’s side, taking her hand. “Calm down Caiti, I’ll consider her! Just bring the papers to my office later, and I’ll look them over. No promises, but we’ll talk about it! Breathe girl, breathe!” she says, putting on her best smile.

Caiti let out a big sigh of relief. “Thank you… Barbara….I’m sorry I was so demanding like that, it’s not professional, and I’ll try not to be like that again, forgive me…I just… I really loved this kid” She says, putting her glasses back on, and slapping her face a bit, pumping herself up. She stands up, shaking Barbara’s hand.

Barbara rolls her eyes and sits her back down, pushing her on the shoulders. “Listen, Caiti, first of all, you’ve been here long enough, call me Barbie! Second of all, we’re friends here, not enemies and not measly coworkers. You can talk to us ANY way you want. All of us have to work together to get the kids the best help we can, and we’re here for each other. This isn’t a competition for the best job or perks, and there’s no finish line or some stupid promotions out on the line. It’s a shithole from here until the end of our career, and we need each other. Third, don’t be afraid to come to me like this again, and I’m so happy you came and told me about little Courtney. I’ll do everything in my power to help her.” She says, smiling sincerely.

Caiti nods her head. “Ok. Thanks Barb… Barbie.” She says, looking a bit relieved. “I guess.. I guess I’m still used to my old job…I’m… I’m glad it’s different here though.” she says reluctantly.

Barbara gives her a curious look. “Oh? What was your old job like?” she asks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Luna household was a very prim and proper place to be. Nothing was out of place, and its stylish modern furniture, decor, and appliances all screamed wealth and extravagance. The home was large, with two stories, about four bedrooms, a state of the art computer room, laundry, home gym and home theatre with all the latest gaming stuff.

Miles didn’t care about that shit though, it was boring there. Ryan and Kerry’s houses were so much cooler, and their folks were SO much better. With him and his mother at the dinner table, the two of them were arguing again over the coming weekend.

“Mooooooooooooooooooooooom…..” Miles whined loudly, giving his mom the best eyes he could.

His mother Rebecca looked like a taller and more female version of her son, with long hair down to her shoulders, styled impeccably. In a refined looking dress and adorned with all kinds of jewelry, Miles jokingly told her often that she looked like a New Housewife of Austin, but acted like someone from the 1950’s.

Rebecca shook her head. “Miles, I have told you already, I am not comfortable with that Mr. Ramsey! I don’t care what that state agent says, he looks like something out of the ghetto! I’m fine with Ryan, he’s a fine young man, but… Well, did you see his tattoos? I’m worried he might try and sell you drugs!” she says in a dead serious manner, in a tone of genuine concern.

Miles banged his head repeatedly against the table. “MOM. Ryan says his dad is like the greatest guy ever! Can’t you… I dunno… TRUST me?!” he says in his spoiled tone. Miles wasn’t used to not getting his way.

His mother shook her head again. “I trust you sweetheart, but that man…. I don’t trust HIM!” she says, taking her water glass and taking a big sip of it.

He holds his arms and exhales loudly. “Dad would let me go….” Miles says angrily under his breath.

Rebbecca sighs, unphased. “Well, your father is out on a call and won’t be back for another three months. While he is away, I am the one in charge here, you know that. Until I know that man better, I am not about to trust my one and only son with him!” she says firmly.

Miles rolls his eyes at her, and they sit in silence for a few moments, but Rebbecca smiles a bit, her face grinning in excitement. “Ohhhhhhhhh! I just had a lovely idea! Why don’t we invite Mr. Ramsey and Ryan over for tea tomorrow after school? I’ll bring Mrs. Shawcross too, and the three of us will have a nice long talk! Elena and I will get the full story out of that young man, just you wait and see baby!” she says excitedly already getting off the table and racing for the wireless phone on the crystalline table. This is apparently the most clever and devious plan she’d ever hatched in her life. All she’s missing is the evil laugh.

Miles’ face turns pale. “M…M… Mom?” he says in both shock and embarrassment.

Pulling out the school directory, she finds the name for Ryan, and quickly dials on the phone, hitting the “enter” button, and it immediately dialing the number.

“MOM! DON’T! PLEASE DON’T EMBARSS ME, I’LL NOT GO, I PRO-“

“Mr. Ramsey, it is so good to hear your voice, this is Miles’s mother!” she says loudly, covering her son’s mouth, muffling his objections.

Miles is unable to hear the other end of the conversation, but cannot believe what his mother is doing! TEA TIME?!? Shit, Ryan was going to rip him a new one for months over this….

“Yes, I’m doing just fine Geoffrey, thank you so much for asking darling… Listen, my son Miles informed me that Ryan has invited him and Kerry over for a sleepover this next weekend. You’ll forgive my rudeness sir, but I just don’t quite know you well enough to entrust my son in your care without knowing more about you! Would it be any trouble if you and Ryan came over tomorrow for tea and talk?” she says in her most regal voice, sounding like some bad villain on a spanish soap opera. His mother LOVED theatrics, and had been in drama her whole life. She talked about it ALL THE TIME…

Miles attempts to object again, but his mother grabs his ear, and tugs it as hard as she can, him recoiling away from her.

“LOVELY! I’ll see you tomorrow at five sharp! Don’t worry about a thing, I’ll set everything up!” she says, giggling excitedly. “Thank you too Mr. Ramsey… Goodbye…” she says, cutting off the phone, quickly wiping her face in a sweeping motion, her previous smile and good attitude melted.

“Ok. We have work to do…” she says sternly, going into hyper-mom-mode. Miles begins fearing for Mr. Ramsey’s life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ray couldn’t sleep again… He clung to Mr. Paco tightly, thinking about everything that happened that day, making sure he’d been good. He didn’t want his new Daddy to leave like Mommy had. He liked Daddy Geoff, and wanted to stay with him. Daddy was ALMOST as good as Mommy… Almost…

He woke up and wore what Daddy told him to wear, even though yellow is dorky…. Check.

He went to school and answered Mr. Reed’s question right. Check.

He didn’t let Michael get in trouble with Dan. Check.

He made sure Michael had someone to play with at school cuz Daddy said to make sure he had a friend. Check.

He let Gavy have his turn with Jackie for stories that week. Check.

Good! Everyone should like him lots today. Nobody should go away tomorrow. But… He didn’t REALLY know. He thought he’d been good for mommy too…

Ray smiled and turned Mr. Paco around, looking at him in the face. “I was a good boy today Mr. Paco! So I think I can go to sleep tonight, but I kinda can’t…” he says, scrunching his face, hugging the bear tightly and rolling back and forth on the bed repeatedly.

“Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooored….” He says quietly, rolling in the sheets repeatedly, himself now a glorified burrito with the covers tangled around him tightly.

“Everything ok in here?” a familiar voice says outside of his room. His door slowly cracks open, light pouring into the dark room, Ray freezing in panic at being caught awake past his bedtime.

“Ray? You ok? I heard noises….” Says his Daddy. Ray doesn’t move, still frozen in place, trying not to make a sound. Daddy told him to go to bed once already… What if… What if….

“Ray? Talk to me!” Geoff says softly and nervously, slowly walking into the room, and petting him, Ray tensing up immediately at the touch, but pretending to be asleep. Mr. Paco was digging into his tummy, but he was glad his bear was there.

“I’m sorry Daddy, I’ll go to sleep soon. I’m sorry! No more noise, promise!” he says, as happily as he could muster, despite being really scared.

Geoff pats him on the head. “Ok kiddo, we’ve got to get up early tomorrow for school, so don’t stay up too late, ok?” he says in a fatherly tone. Geoff kisses him on the head, wishes him good night, and jumps out of the bed, closing the door quietly behind him as he leaves.

Once he heard Daddy’s door shut again, Ray felt the tears run down his face.

I’m… I’m sorry… Please be there… Don’t’… Don’t leave me…. I… I won’t be bad….

Ray unwraps himself and takes his blanket next to his door. Lying down next to the door, Mr. Paco in hand, he begins listening for movement intently for the rest of the night, trembling in fear. If he heard someone leaving, he’d run out and beg them to stay. That was the plan anyway.

He sits there fuming and angry at himself, but sad too.

All that work today… Gone…

~~~~~~~~~~~

Caiti’s apartment was tiny. Two bedrooms, tiny bathroom, a pretty spacious living room/kitchen combo, and had a little laundry closet. It was well furnished in bright and warm colors. Deep, vibrant reds, charming dark browns, and beige walls. It felt like a place one could really feel homey in, and not worry about anything.

In the tiny apartment was Courtney, staring at the television screen intently, watching a DVD that Caiti had given her. She’d started watching the show in the hospital, and thought it was a funny cartoon. Adventure Time, and she liked Princess Bubblegum the most. That girl didn’t need anyone to save her; she’d just beat up the bad guys herself! That was cool.

“Courtney, you need anything? Doing ok?” a tall boy asks her from Caiti’s table. He was doing school stuff, so she didn’t bug him or anything, and was glad he wasn’t bugging her either. It was Caleb, her babysitter while Caiti was late at work. She liked Caleb, he was nice.

“No thanks!” she says, still staring at the screen.

Caleb gets up from the table and slowly makes his way to the couch and sits down next to her. “You sure? You still haven’t eaten your dinner, and Caiti told me you were feeling a little sad lately. Anything you want to talk to me about? I’m your friend Courtney, and I hope you’ll tell me if something’s wrong!” he says, giving her a warm smile.

Courtney frowned a bit. She just wanted to watch cartoons and not think about anything.

My chest hurts… I don’t want to talk anymore… I wanna be alone… My tummy isn’t hungry anymore… she thinks to herself, not saying the words. Courtney didn’t want to be a whiner. Mommy told her it was rude to do that, and… Well, it was weird. She’d never felt that way before, and didn’t want anyone to know. Especially Caiti, cuz she’d been so nice to her…

“I’m ok Caleb, I just wanna watch toons…” she says, looking him in the eye, giving him a big smile. Caleb backs down, pats her on the back and stands up from the couch. “Ok Courtney, but let me know if you need anything!”.

I need my mommy and daddy back….

The bad feeling in her chest was starting to come back. She clutched it, wishing it would go away. Courtney shook her head, looking back at the TV.

The funny dog Jake was saying something goofy. He’d make it go away. For a little while anyway…

~~~~~~~~~~~

Daddy… Please be there when I get home… Please be there when I get home… PLEASE be there when I get home… Ray thinks, his brain on constant repeat. Daddy dropped them all off at school, and waved goodbye like he always did. Like mommy had… Ray was worried.

“Ray? Are you ok?” Gavin asks, looking at him with a concerned face.

Oh no… I made Gavy worry… Now I’m really bad today…

Ray puts on his biggest grin. “YEEEEEEP! I’m just sleepy, Daddy made me wake up too early this morning!” he exclaims, not lying exactly…

Mr. Reed clapped his hands loudly as he walked into the classroom. “Students! I want your attention please!” he says firmly, but with a smiling face.

Everyone stopped talking quickly. Ray liked Mr. Reed. He always wore funny colors and shirts, and was REALLY nice. Today he had on a shirt that made him look like a ZEBRA! He was so silly! Ray wanted Mr. Reed to like him, especially cuz he talked to his Daddies all the time. He’d be extra nice today, so maybe… Maybe Daddy wouldn’t leave right away…

Once everyone stopped talking, Mr. Reed gave them a really excited smile.

“Students, today I want to introduce you to a new classmate. Her name is Courtney, and she’ll be joining us for the rest of the year. Please make her feel warm and welcome, ok?” he says, starting to clap as she walks through the door, everyone applauding as well.

Whatever thoughts had previously been in Ray’s head quickly vanished, his eyes growing wide as the girl enters the classroom.

Ray felt his face turn red immediately as she walks through the door, putting his head down. Wooooow…. The Courtney girl was pretty!

She had really long blonde hair down to her back, and wore a really cool looking Adventure Time T-Shirt and backpack. Ray LOVED that show! Courtney had this really cool red mark on her face, like one of Daddy’s tattoos! She was immediately cool.

Courtney stands next to Mr. Reed, and Ray notices she looks a little sad. Oh… She was probably scared…

“My name is Courtney. Nice to meet you all.” She says, smiling brightly. But she turns to Mr. Reed quickly. “May I sit down now?” she asks, him nodding. She races over to sit down next to Michael’s friend Lindsay, everyone looking at her excitedly.

Ray turns his head around too, looking at her, ignoring Mr. Reed talking about some stupid letter they were learning about.

She’s just sitting there, looking at Mr. Reed so… Focused on him, not really evening moving at all. She still looks really sad to Ray, even though she’s not frowning. He… He wanted to cheer her up! Maybe then she’d like him too!

~

Mr. Reed let them go to recess, and Ray was determined to get Courtney to like him! He rushes over to Courtney as soon as they got free, and gives her a big grin. “HIYA! I’m RAY!” he says loudly, her looking at him blankly. Lindsay giggled a bit at his funny face. “Courtney, that’s Ray! He’s friends with me and Banjo!” she says.

Courtney turns to her. “Banjo?” she asks curiously. WOW. She had a pretty voice too!

Lindsay laughs. “Oh, my friend Michael. He’s Banjo and I’m Kazooie! It’s some dumb boy game he plays at home with his brothers. He can’t say my name right, and it makes him mad when I tell him he’s wrong. So he called me that instead. It’s ok though. I’m a pretty bird and he’s a stinky bear.” She says, grinning big.

Courtney’s expression doesn’t really change. “Oh… Well that’s neat…” she says. Lindsay nods her head.

Ray sits there awkwardly as they talk between each other, Courtney looking at him. “Why are you staring at me?” she asks plainly.

He gulps nervously. “Uh… I…. Like your backpack!” he says finally, trying to think of something to say.

Courtney smiles a bit at that. “Oh! Thank you Ray. Do you like Adventure Time?” she asks, giving him a fun expression.

Ray nods his head nervously. “Uh yeah! It’s REALLY cool! Uh… Let’s go play!” he says finally, getting to the point.

Courtney turns her head down. “Uh… No thanks. I wanna write my J’s…” The girl starts pulling out her notebook Mr. Reed gave them, and kept writing the letter over and over again. Wow. She wrote it a lot, and she was really good at it.

Lindsay pulls her on the arm. “Courtneyyyyyyy, come play with ussssss. Too many boys, I need help!” she says, but Courtney shaking her head. “Not now Lindy… I want to write!” she says, focusing her attention back on her papers.

Ray pouted. “Come on Courtney! Play with me! I’ll be Finn, and you can be Jake!” he says, going up behind her and putting on his best Finn impression. “WE’VE GOT TO SAVE THE PRINCESS! I need ya Jake!” he says, Lindsay laughing at him and his goofy face he was making.

Courtney shakes her head again. “N… No….” she says, but smiling at bit at his impression.

“Pleeeeeeeeeeease?! Michael can be the Ice King, and we can beat him up! Lindsay can be the Princess Bubblegum!” he says, jumping up and down in front of her face. He was being a little too silly even for his own tastes, but really liked her…

She’s snickering, but shakes her head again. “No Ray!” she says loudly, still working on her letters.

Ray frowns. Courtney didn’t like him…

“RAY, KAZOOIE!” Michael yells, waving at him from across the classroom. “COME PLAY ‘NOPOLY WITH US!” he yells, Lindsay smiling back at him.

Lindsay gets up from her desk and runs off to join their little gang. Courtney’s still writing her letters, and Mr. Reed comes up beside her. “Courtney, are you sure you don’t want to go play with Ray and his friends? I bet you’d have a lot of fun!” he asks, Courtney shaking her head.

“I’m sure…” She says reluctantly, flipping the page and starting another set of J’s.

Mr. Reed looks down at him. “Thank you Ray, but maybe ask again tomorrow. She’s a little shy, but I’ll play with her today, so don’t feel bad.” He says, winking at Ray.

Ray is still pouting, but turns around and walks back to his friends.

She… She don’t like me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geoff parked their van on the side of the road, making sure not to block the driveway. Turning off the engine, he turns to Ryan and smiles. “Ok buddy, anything I should know here?” he asks, giving Ryan a devious looking smile.

Ryan thinks a moment, putting up his hands and counting off each bit of information. “They’re fancy here, so don’t cuss. No burping. No farting. Don’t talk about ANYTHING you did as a kid. Don’t slurp the tea. Don’t eat the cakes, they taste like shi—- crap.” He says, catching himself there at the end, but Geoff clearly heard it.

Geoff chuckles. “WELL, look at that, did my kiddo learn himself a new word?” he says deviously, giving Ryan a knowing look.

“Uh… Sorry… I won’t-“ Ryan starts, but Geoff quickly interrupting him.

“Kiddo, let me give you the house rule on cussing, You’re old enough now, though you’re a bit early for my tastes. Guess that’s just the kids these days though… Anyway, Jack and I don’t give a shit when you’re talking to us; feel free to let them fly, but don’t be obnoxious about it. Oh, but don’t use them around the little kids until they’re older, and don’t do it loudly in public or at school. Not everyone is comfortable with those words, and you should respect that. Plus, schools frown on that sort of thing, and it would really piss me off to have to come and get you for something so stupid, and I’d probably cause a scene.” He says, patting Ryan on the back, grinning. “Ok?”

Ryan nods his head, still a bit embarrassed.

“Ok then! Let’s go play tea party!” he says, both of them reluctantly getting out of the van, groaning together.

~

As they walk into the Luna house, Geoff notices that they must be part of the upper crust. They had a big-ass house, nice things, and Mrs. Luna was dressed up like some model in an obnoxious looking dress.

“Mr. Ramsey, it is such a pleasure to have your company here this evening.” She says in a stuffy voice that Geoff didn’t much care for. “Ryan, Miles is up in his room with Kerry, so please feel free to join them while Mrs. Shawcross and I have a little discussion with your father.” She says in the same tone of voice, but making her request more like a command.

Don’t leave me! Geoff thought painfully as Ryan scurried off to the upstairs, waving sympathetically his way, getting pulled by Miles, who was clearly embarrassed.

You little shit… he thinks, getting pulled now by Mrs. Luna into a small room, set up with a fancy tea set, Kerry’s mother looking very similar to him in her laid back style. She was a little younger than Mrs. Luna, in her late twenties, but had on a much more… Normal attire. Capris and a cute pink blouse, very functional for a parent. She had blonde hair like Kerry, and had a petit build, pretty much unchanged from her high school years.

“Hi Geoffrey, good to see you again after so long!” Elena says, waving as he takes his seat between them. He’d actually known Elena from his teenage years, but that wasn’t really that… Ehh… He was glad she had an open mind. He hadn’t made the connection immediately, but after seeing Kerry a few times, he put the pieces together. He was an exact clone of his mother, personality and all.

Mrs. Luna got a somewhat shocked expression. “Oh? You two know each other?” she replies, grabbing the tea pot and pouring everyone’s cup almost exactly to the brim.

Elena nods. “I knew Geoffrey from high school, though we really didn’t interact much, and I never really knew him all that well. Why, I might even say I didn’t know him at all.” She says, giving Geoff a devious grin.

Geoff sweats a bit and gulps deeply. Not now….Please… Not now…

“Oh?! How wonderful!?! What was Mr. Ramsey like in high school dearie?” she says, dropping a few cubs of sugar into her teacup, stirring absentmindedly to cool it.

Elena chuckled. “Oh… I don’t remember much. He and that brother of his… Oh, you know, Ryan’s other dad, Jack? They did all the typical teenage boy stuff, but I don’t ever remember him being too much trouble..” she says, secretly winking at Geoff from the eye that was blind to Mrs. Luna.

“Lovely!” she says, now taking a sip of her tea, putting it back down on her saucer with a soft clink.

Geoff mentally exhales a breath of relief. Thank you Elena….

“Getting to the point, Mr. Ramsey, the real reason I asked you here today is because there are a few things I’m concerned about for my child’s well being in your care. The first of which is those vile tattoos all over your arms. Why on EARTH would you ever want to disfigure your skin so much?! It’s atrocious!” she says, with a shocked and hurt expression in her voice, apparently offended by his ink.

Grrrrr…..

“Well, it’s hard to explain to people that don’t like or want tattoos Mrs. Lu-“

“Call me Rebecca, PLEASE, Mrs. Luna is my mother in law!” she says, laughing hard at her own joke, Geoff mildly amused, and Elena giving a little chuckle as well.

“Well, Rebecca, it’s hard to explain this to people that aren’t fond of tattoos. To me, personally, they’re just a way for me to remember important events in my life, so I don’t forget them. I enjoy the way they look too, but I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, and I respect that.” He says, raising his own teacup for emphasis on his last word, taking a sip and trying his best not to spit the mess out. He’d forgotten to add anything to it.

Rebecca lets out a deep sigh. “I’m just worried that Miles will see those things and want to get one himself. He’s such a good boy, I’d hate to see him go down the wrong path in life… One day it’s tattoos, the next day’s its piercings, and soon he might be selling drugs!” she says seriously, Elena snorting in her own teacup, and choking from laughter.

“Elena, it’s not funny!” she says seriously, but her friend unable to contain her laughter. Geoff resists the urge to join her, biting his lip furiously, almost making it bleed.

“Hahhahha.a…..ahahdafhhahhhh… Becky… I seriously doubt… ahhhhahhahhaha… That those things have ANYTHING in common with one and other..” she says, wiping the newly formed tears from her eyes.

Rebecca silently fumes in her tea as Elena calms down. “Ok Geoffrey, let’s cut the crap and get down to business. No more prancing around, Becky and I have the same concerns, so just answer my questions. Got it?” she says, winking secretively again at him.

Geoff nods his head, glad to have an ally in the house. Even if it was Elena, of all people…

“Any booze in the house?” she asks.

Geoff shakes his head. “Nope, if we drink, Jack and I do it on our days off and away from the kiddos. They’re too young to even remotely think about it right now. Might change when they’re older and in high school, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Oh, but we might have a few older bottles of stuff for special occasions, but they’re locked up tight in Jack’s room, the kids don’t know where it’s at.” He replies, answering honestly.

“Anything naughty magazines or tapes in the house?” she asks.

Geoff chuckles. “Nope.” The good stuff is on computers these days anyway.

“For Becky’s sake, can you cover the tats when Miles is there and play them down or something? I don’t care with Kerry, but she has a minor cow over it.” She says.

Geoff nods. “Whatever makes her comfortable, I just want Ryan’s friends to be able to come over without you guys worrying about anything. I’ll do anything for the kids, so just let me know what you gals want, and I’ll accommodate you to the best of my abilities. Heck, if you want, you can come over yourselves to make sure everything’s ok.” He says, honestly. Geoff just wanted Ryan to have a pair of friends that could be there from him whenever he needed them. He didn’t want in the way, at all.

Elena gives him a shocked look. Almost… Impressed?

“Well, I’m so glad you’re so willing to work with us Geoffrey! I’m thrilled to have such a reasonable man as Ryan’s father. I do say, this is going so much better than I’d ever anticipated, I’m almost downright giddy!” Rebecca says, smiling, now in a much better mood, clearly happy. “I’ll go get the cakes, and we’ll talk about things I don’t want my Miles watching or listening to while he’s there… ” she says, standing up and walking towards the kitchen, leaving him with Elena.

There’s an awkward silence for a few minutes. “You really have changed.” Elena says, giving him a smile.

Geoff nods. “Yeah… I kind of had to…”

Elena looks down at her feet. “I was worried at first, you know. I trust Kerry and Ryan’s judgment when they said you were a good man, and I knew Ryan needed a friend after the… Incident, so I wasn’t going to push at first… But I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of father you’d turn out to be. That Barbara woman told me you were one of the best she’d ever worked with, so I gave you the benefit of a doubt, and I knew Jack was there too, so…. I guess I hoped… Well, maybe things were better…” She stops for a moment, rubbing her hands together.

“I…. I’m sorry Elena. For everything I put you through…It’s my fault that Griffy left, and… I can’t take it back, but I can apologize…Especially for what I did to you…” he says painfully, having been mulling those words around in his head for a while now, unable to get the nerve to actually go and speak to her.

She shakes her head. “Geoffrey, it’s been about ten years now, I’m over it. It hurt a lot to lose my best friend like that, and then to have you run off in the streets like a dog and just give up on life? It was… Terrible, don’t get me wrong, but… I think I’m glad knowing that what she did actually worked. I know she’d be proud of you Geoffrey and the man you became. I know I am.” She says, giving him a big smile.

Geoff smiles back. “Thanks… I hope she is…” he says, a lot of fond memories running through his head.

The two exchange happy glances, their old friendship re-forming…

Rebecca re-joins them, holding a handful of papers, lined with hundreds of things. “Now, here’s a list of movies and music I don’t want Miles listening to. I’ve toned it down since he’s turning thirteen next year, but I’m just a teeny nervous he’d get too scared with some of these…” she says seriously, Geoff stifling a laugh, Elena rolling her eyes and laughing.

This explains SOOOOO much about Miles… Geoff thinks comically, having heard Ryan talk about the kid’s rebellious attitude outside the home. He takes the gargantuan list of things from her hands, snorting at all his favorite bands immediately listed out, his tattoos number one on the list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Later that night)

Geoff was tucking Ray into bed, his son already clenching his bear as tight as he could. He loved that little thing, it was adorable. Five dollars well spent, he was glad Gavin told him about it.

“Dad, can I ask you something? You said I could tell or ask you anything, so… I kind of want to… I asked Mr. Paco first, but he’s not very helpful tonight…” he says, looking up at Geoff, a little frustrated.

“Sure kiddo, anytime!” Geoff says, smiling big. Was Ray opening up? FINALLY! “What’s up?”

Ray lets out a huffy breath. “This girl in class won’t play with me, and I like her a lot. I want her to like me too, cuz she’s cool, pretty, and sounds really smart… I tried all sorts of stuff to get her to talk to me today, and she didn’t say nothin’! How can I get her to like me and play with me?” he says, his face looking a little hurt.

Geoff takes a seat next to Ray, pulling him in on his lap. He’s chuckling on the inside, Ray the little Romeo already. Pfft….

“Kiddo… It’s hard for me to explain this, but I guess I’ll try.” He says, sighing loudly. He hadn’t expected this talk for a while. Oh well..

“Let me give you the best advice I can. I learned this a looooooooooong time ago when I met my first girlfriend, Griffon. Just be yourself around her and talk to her. No stunts! No jokes! Just tell her how you feel and just ask her to play with you! That’s it! If she wants to play with you, then she will. If she doesn’t? Well, then she probably wants to be by herself for some reason, or maybe likes someone else. You’ve got to respect everyone’s wishes Ray, there’s no one way to win anyone’s attention.” He says, patting the kid on the legs.

“But DADDY, she’s cool! She knows who JAKE and FINN are. None of the other girls know that stuff cept’ Lindsay, and she likes Michael the best cuz she’s his Kazooie!” he says angrily, pouting a bit.

Geoff snorts a bit. That Michael…

Ray turns around on Geoff’s lap and looks him in the eyes. “I’m serious!”

Geoff nods. “I am too. Just try it, please? Just talk to her and be yourself, and tell her how you really feel. If she doesn’t like you, then you should leave her be unless she talks to you again.”

Ray folds his arms. “Fine. Just cuz you say so…” he says in a huffy voice. Geoff starts picking up Ray’s clothes from the day, and pulling out an outfit for him tomorrow.

“Daddy… Can I bring her something? Nothing big, just… A surprise?” Ray asks, giving his Geoff a set of really big puppy dog eyes.

Geoff grins ear to ear. Who could say no to that?

~~~~~~~

Jack and Gavin had been sitting in the living room all evening, the boy trying with all his might to stay awake and finish the chapter in Jack’s lap. They’d been reading Harry Potter together, and Gavin wanted to hear what happened after the big Troll got set loose in the dungeon. He was really scared for “Herhinny”, and wanted to make sure she was ok.

It was usually Ray’s turn to hear long stories that week, but told him he wanted to talk to Mr. Paco instead, and to let Gavin have his turn. Gavin was really happy about that, story time was his favorite thing in the world, and Ray was such a considerate kid to notice that. He had a lot of love to give, and certainly didn’t have to.

Jack stops mid-sentence as he sees the boy’s eyes flutter shut, his head resting on Jack’s shoulder. “Gavin, we’ll finish up tomorrow morning, ok? You’re really sleepy.” He says kindly. Gavin nods, clinging to Jack tightly as he stands up, carrying the little guy to bed, walking down the hallway.

“Daddy… Thank you for letting me stay up late…” he lazily says, likely already half asleep.

Gavin was pretty open with him now in talking, and he liked that. He felt like he could trust Gavin to tell him anything now.

“No problem Gavin.” Jack says quietly, opening the door to Gavin’s room. Laying him down on his bed, he pulls the covers over him, and hands him his Teddy. The boy is already nearly out. “Goodnight Gavin, I’ll wake you up for school in the morning, sweet dreams!” He says, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead.

“Goodnight daddy, I love you…” he says, smiling as he slowly drifts off to sleep. Jack grabs a handful of Gavin’s dirty laundry, a bit of trash, and quickly walks to the door. He flips off the light switch, turns on Gavin’s nightlight on the bottom wall, and closes the door behind him, walking back into the hallway.

“How’s our little Gavy-Wavy?” Geoff asks, smiling as he closes the door to Ray’s room. His hands look a little bandaged, and he’s holding a pair of tiny shears.

Jack sighs and shakes his head. “So smart Geoff, it’s unreal. The questions he asks are just out of this world, and he’s just SO curious, and he has this really big and empty brain he wants to fill up with as much knowledge as he can. I’m sure because he didn’t get to ask much of anything while he was first learning how to talk, and he just wants to know how the world works. It’s such a shame he’s so freaking shy! Carter says he just clams up in school when he’s not around one of the boys or that Lindsay girl of Joel’s.” he says in frustration.

Geoff sighs. “Well… He’s coming around now, and you’re doing a freaking awesome job Jack. Anyday now, we’ll probably want to strangle him for talking so much, and we’ll all blame YOU for it.” He says, both of them grinning at the possibility.

“Kidding aside, you’re so patient with him, I don’t know how you do it!” Geoff says, rubbing his head in pained jealously, but still smiling at the progress.

Jack lets out a little snicker. “This coming from the patron saint of Tea Parties? Ryan told me you were a good boy and didn’t suplex Mrs. Luna or slurp your tea. You even did the little pinky thing!” He says, motioning at him with his pinky finger, Geoff snorting in response.

“Jack, she’s a good woman with adequate fears. We’d do the same shit with any of our kids, though we’d be less judgmental and actually worry about things we should be worried about…” he says in a tired voice.

The two of them walk into the living room, plopping down on the couch next to each other, sorting out the kids’ laundry.

“So Miles?” Jack asks curiously.

Geoff nods his head. “Yeah, he can come too. She’s tolerating me for now if we follow some basic bullshit, so I’ll tone down my usual self when he’s around and hide the tats. Not a big deal.” Geoff says, rubbing his arms sympathetically.

Something ticks in his head, and he slaps himself on the forehead. “OH, and Ryan knows bad words. Told him the rules on it, so don’t freak out if he lets one rip.” Geoff says, laughing at the end of the sentence.

Jack gives him an incredulous look. “WHAT? Our little darling Ryan has a filthy mouth like us already? We’re corrupting these poor kids Geoff, call Barbara and TAKE THEM AWAY!” he says dramatically, flinging his arm to his forehead in disgust. Both of them are in fits of laughter at that, Geoff’s face turning red and Jack shedding a tear or two.

A few minutes after they calm down, they both let out simultaneous deep sighs.

Geoff’s face crumbles after a few seconds. “I saw Elena today. You know… From high school? Griffon’s friend. The one who gave me her letter? The one I called the bitch and slapped to the floor after she left? That’s… Kerry’s mother.” he says, Jack giving him a pained and shocked look.

“Seeing her made me remember what I was like Jack… Seeing Ryan today and listening to him… I… I don’t want them to be like me….I want them to be happy kids, I want them to grow up into good men, and I want them to do whatever they want in life. I want them to not have to put up with stupid bullshit, and just be carefree and not sweat the kid stuff. They’d got more to worry about. But… But I don’t want them to be like me. And…. Ryan’s doing that, I can see it already… He’s… He’s got my piss poor attitude and sarcasm already, he’s cussing, wants a tattoo the second her turns eighteen, and… Gahhhhhhhhhhhh.” Geoff says seriously now, rubbing his forehead in absolute frustration.

Jack pats him on the back. “Geoff, you’re a good dad. Don’t’ think for a SECOND you’re not. If I thought for a SECOND you were doing anything wrong, I’d speak up. They idolize and want to be like you now because you’ve given them such a good life from what they had! You know what these kids are going through, and actually try and understand them. You’re well aware of what they might be feeling. Besides, tats and cussing don’t exactly make people bad. Doing bad things makes people bad.” He says, chuckling. Geoff knew that logically and emotionally, but couldn’t differentiate it right then.

Geoff shakes his head. “No… No, they should be like you Jack. I’m so glad Gavin clung onto you, at least I won’t screw up him. Ryan, Ray and Michael are fucked…” he says, still in a spiral of self-pity and horror.

“Pfffft. Me? You must have selective memory, because I was a fucking mess too. Remember “the thing” Griffon finally told you about before she left? I’m not exactly Pollyanna myself, here to make everyone play the glad game all hours of the day. At least you FOUGHT the crap we went through, I just hid in the shadows and cried.” He says, rubbing his arm instinctively.

They stay silent for a couple of moments, each in their own little dark worlds of the past.

Jack breaks the silence. “We’ll make em’ better Geoff. They don’t have to be like us exactly. That’s why we’re here, to not let them make the same mistakes we made, and just be there for them when they need someone to talk to. They may emulate us, but all kids do to some degree. Still, we’ll make sure they NEVER have to see the ugly of the world that we saw.” He says, grabbing Geoff’s hand and squeezing it tightly.

Geoff turns to him and smiles weakly. “Yeah…” he mutters, hugging his brother tightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Courtney sat in her chair at school again, practicing her J’s again before learning her new letter today. Mr. Reed said she did a great job yesterday, and he gave her an “A+” on her page with a smiley face. She liked that.

Caiti had dropped her off early again, and talked with Mr. Reed about stuff. She didn’t mind though, she didn’t like sleeping. She dreamt about the hospital room, or her mommy and daddy… It… It wasn’t fun…

Caiti was like her new momma for now, but she’d get a new one soon. It was ok though, she didn’t mind, and wasn’t going to worry about it. Mommy always said to be a tough little girl, and not get too sad if bad things happened, because the sun would come out tomorrow! Mommy said it means that after the bad stuff happens, good stuff would happen again real soon. She was still waiting on the good stuff though…

“C…C….Courtney?” says a nervous voice. She turns her head up, and sees that it’s that Ray boy, the one who talked to her yesterday and did all the funny stuff at recess with her cartoon show.

“Oh. Hi Ray.” She says plainly. She didn’t know why, but she just didn’t feel good anymore, and wanted to be by herself. She missed her mommy and daddy, and it just hurt her chest a lot. Like someone was stepping on her. She didn’t like that….

“I… I…. Uh… HERE!” he says, pulling out a pretty red rose from behind his back and giving it to her. The sticky bits were cut off, so she could touch it and not hurt.

“I got my Daddy to cut that off a bush outside our house last night. It’s… Uh… Really pretty… Like you… And… Uh… Well….” He stutters, but Courtney’s not listening to him at all, her inside her own world right now as she smelled it and looked at it.

It was a rose… Like the ones at her old house. Like the one she tried to pick her mommy before they went away…

~

_“Mommy, can I pick some roses too?” she asks, swinging her hand that was holding her mommy’s. They were walking in the garden together that night, getting a bouquet of flowers for their special dinner with one of Mommy’s bosses._

_Her mother gives her a shocked, yet humorous expression. “Oh no Courtney! We couldn’t possibly! Roses are truly one of the most beautiful flowers in the entire world. You don’t pick them unless it’s an emergency!” She says, patting her daughter on the head._

_Courtney gives her a curious look. “Emergency?” she asks, not sure how to take that information._

_Courtney’s mother laughs. “Honey… Let me tell you a story my mother told me a long time ago. She said that Roses are a lot like love, because they represent it so well. Love is a beautiful thing, just like the rose’s petals. But it can hurt too. Picking the flower is painful, and if you hand it to someone, it could hurt them too! So you only pick it when you REALLY love someone or REALLY want to make them feel better, because you might end up hurting each other!” She says smiling._

_Courtney frowns. “I don’t get it…”_

_Her mother laughs softly. “That’s ok honey. The simple version is that you ONLY give someone a rose if you really love them or want them to feel lots better. Or, if someone gives YOU a rose, know that they really care about you, want you to feel lots better, or maybe wants to be your friend!.” She says, giving her a comforting smile._

_Courtney smiles. “Oh! I get that part!” she says, smiling giddly._

_The two walk hand in hand through the rest of the garden, her father waving at the two of them. “Dinner’s ready!” he yells. Daddy looked funny without any hair, but Courtney thought he looked cool too with his handkerchiefs he wore. Like a pirate!_

_Courtney gets picked up and hugged tightly, and they walk back into the house slowly, still looking at those pretty red roses from her mother’s shoulders. “Only in emergencies.. Got it!” she says, nodding her head._

~

Courtney remembers her mommy’s story, and twirled the rose in her hands. It didn’t hurt at all! She could touch it as much as she wanted!

“…if someone gives YOU a rose, know that they really care about you, want you to feel lots better, or maybe wants to be your friend!” she hears echoing in her mind, smiling.

So… Someone else really liked her enough to get her a ROSE? Courtney smiled, and she felt funny again.. Her chest still hurt, but her tummy felt really weird too. Like… Happy… A little bit, and she was smiling.

Looking up at the Ray boy, she notices he has a really silly face, and his shirt has a funny puppy on it. He’d been funny and nice yesterday too with all his ‘pressions, she just felt too focused on her letter drawing to want to give up her peace of mind. Before, she didn’t want to think, but now… She liked looking at him and hearing him talk. Ray must have liked her and wanted to make her feel better! That made her feel good.

“…Princess Bubblegum is cool too I guess… Uh… Anyway.. I … Like you, and you look… uh… sad and stuff… so I… Uh…Wanna talk to you and…play if that’s… you know…. Ok….?” Ray says, still mumbling incoherently.

Returning from her own little world, Courtney gets up off her chair and hugs the boy as tightly as she could, having not heard much of what he’d been saying. “Thank you Ray, it’s really pretty, and I love it!!” she says sweetly, getting the attention of Mr. Reed, Caiti, a couple of boys, and some hobo man in the corner.

She notices that Ray’s face is really red, just like the rose. Was he sick?

“Ray, are you ok?” she asks curiously, putting her hand to his forehead.

“Y….Y…Yeah! You’re… Welcome…” he says, gulping loudly.

She gets a really big smile. “You’re so nice Ray! Thank you!”

Ray just sits there nervously for a moment or two, Courtney still thinking he looked a little sicky…

“Uh… You wanna play with me and my brothers, my friend Dan and Lindsay today? You looked… Uh… Really lonely yesterday, and I’d like to see you smile. You’re…. Uh… (gulp) Really pretty when you smile, and uh…. I wanna know you better… and uh… Be your friend?” He says nervously, shifting his feet back and forth, looking down at them, unable to look her in the face.

Courtney nodded her head. “Sure! I’d love to play Ray!” she says giggling.

Ray’s face brightens up vividly, and grabs her by the hand. “Well, come meet my brothers! We’ll play with them today, ok?! They’re all pretty cool!” he says, but Courtney pulls him first, taking the lead excitedly. “OK!” she says, pulling Ray behind her, him tripping a bit.

~~~~~

Caiti watched as Courtney’s eyes got that spark back, hugging one of the HomeHunter boys. He’d given her some tiny looking rose, and she must have really liked it. Geoff slowly walked up to her and Mr. Reed, and shook his hand.

“Well Geoff, it would appear as though your boys continue to not only support themselves and their older brother, but all the other little lost children as well.” Mr. Reed says, smiling gently.

Caiti turns around. “Oh Mr. Reed, you know Mr. Ramsey?” she asks, genuinely curious.

Mr. Reed nods. “Yeah, Geoff and I worked together back in the agency, so I know him, his kids, and probably all your coworkers Ms. Ward. So please call me Carter if you wish.”

Geoff nods his head too. “Yeah, call me Geoff.”

Caiti nods her head. “Ok, sorry, I’m just a little bit of a stickler for professionalism!” she says, laughing a bit. “But anyway, I… I’m surprised at how Courtney reacted then. I mean… She tries so hard to forget about her situation, that I don’t think she quite knows how to act anymore, but… There it was! A little spark of happiness!” she says, moving her hand over her heart in excitement.

Geoff shakes his head. “It’s not that easy Caiti. It’s a good start, but… Well, it’s not going to ignite her immediately and heal all wounds. It’s a start though..” he says, patting her on the back.

Caiti does see it quickly. Talking with the other HomeHunters, Courtney already seems a little distant, clinging to Ray’s hand tightly, looking at the pretty rose again.

She gulps, feeling her heart weaken a bit.

“But relax. We’ll have to do a playdate soon and let them all have a day together and just be themselves. Hearts can heal over time with good memories, and she’s no exception. Besides, they’ll need to meet their new neighbors!” Geoff says, giving Caiti a big grin.

Caiti turns to him. “What did you say?”

Geoff chuckles. “Aww… I spoiled it for Barbara… Oh well, just act surprised when she tells you today. Jack and I approved Courtney for the HH2 last night. Complete coincidence really, I had no idea it was Ray’s little crush.” He says, smiling.

She lets out a deep and relaxing breath. “Thank goodness…” she says, feeling weeks worth of stress melt off of her instantly.

They all watched as the children interacted with one and other, all of them looking genuinely happy.

~~~~~

Mr. Reed was telling them a story, but Ray really wasn’t listening. He couldn’t wait until recess time, and kept turning his head around to look at Courtney. She still looked sad to Ray, but she kept looking at her rose she kept in her desk and got a little smile each time. He, Michael, Dan and Gavin were gonna play with Lindsay and Courtney at recess, and he couldn’t wait to talk to her more. She said she liked drawing, and wanted to draw Ray’s picture!

Ray turns back to his desk, and tries to draw the letter “K” like Mr. Reed was showing them, but kept thinking about the whole day.

Ray’s Daddy wasn’t so dumb after all! He was glad Geoff was so smart and nice! He even helped pick that rose from the bush so Ray wouldn’t prick his fingers, and got rid of those thorns too. He loved Dad-

Oh… Wait a minute!

Ray’s face turns panicked for a moment, and he focuses his attention back at his desk, trembling a bit… In all the confusion and excitement with the Courtney girl…

Daddy… Daddy’s didn’t leave…. But I… Uh….

Ray’s expression turns dark, trying to think hard about yesterday. He worried so much about Courtney that he didn’t even think about being a good boy all day…

Oh no…. Oh no…. I didn’t do anything at home.. I just sat there all night and didn’t do anything… Daddy hates me… Daddy won’t want me… I didn’t do anything funny… I wasn’t nice to Gavy, Michael or Ryan… They won’t need me anymore… I’ll….

“You’re so nice Ray!” he hears Courtney say in his head, and his nervous tummy lightens a bit.

Ray blushes a bit, wondering if being nice to Courtney would count…. Mommy said that the god guy was always watching, so maybe… Maybe he knew… Maybe he’d tell daddy.

He turns back around to look at her again. Courtney waves to him, smiling across the classroom.

Oh well, today was a good day anyway! Ray was happy, and nothing could make his day any better!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_It’s a dark room, but she can’t see anything. She’d blindfolded, but can feel the cold of the concrete floor on her feet. Her hands and legs are bound, and she has been confined to a small chair. She knew where she was. She’d been here many times before, though never in this position._

_Her head is bleeding, the blood dripping down her face slowly from her husband’s goons interrogating her. She hurts, but hasn’t relented._

_She hears loud footsteps walk slowly towards her, now feeling the cold steel of a gun on her cheek, the CLICK of the revolver loudly echoing in the large chamber, piercing her eardrums._

_“I won’t ask you again… We’ve been at this for weeks now… Where is he Madeline? WHERE IS MY SON!?!” screams a dark, heavy and raging voice, putting the gun directly at her forehead. His hand is steady, and she knows… She knows this is the end, regardless of what she says now._

_She smiles, finding strength in her voice. “I don’t know anymore. He’s been in God’s hands for a while, far outside of my reach, even farther outside yours… You’ll never find him Emilio. Even with all your power and wealth… You won’t find him… I thank God that he’ll grow up, never knowing his bastard of a-”_

_BAM_

_~_

_She slumps to the floor, her chair having been knocked back from the force of his hand. What a waste. She’d been his beautiful wife, partner and companion for so long.. Her betrayal was far too much to bear… He wouldn’t kill her though. No… As much as he wanted to, he needed her. If he ever found the boy, his mother would be the perfect bait. Emilio would just throw her in a cell until he needed her again. She wouldn’t talk though, he saw that now. Bitch._

_The darkness of the room obscures his face from view, but he’s a tall and muscled man in his late thirties. He has powerful, broad shoulders, and is dressed in the finest of clothing, now spattered with blood from the woman’s nose and face._

_“Mr. Narvaez, boss…. Shall we continue the search? We’ve exhausted all of the southern states, should we move north into the central parts? We’ve got word he might have traveled north to Kansas with one of those park people.” one of his many attendants asks, Emilio nodding his head, wiping off knuckles._

_“Fine. I’m going back home. Clean up this mess and call me if he’s found.” He says, walking up the stairs slowly._

_He would find his son, no matter the cost. That much was certain._

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	8. Issac's Voice

Chapter -1

Another Side, Another Story 

Isaac's Voice

 

Isaac had woken up early again, hoping to get in some practice before the family went on their outing for the day.

Sitting at the grand piano, he stretched his hands high in the air, cracking his fingers, hoping to limber them. He lifts up the case protecting the piano keys, and begins placing his fingers on the proper spots. The rays of sunrise shimmered over the ivory white keys, the solid black paint of the instrument absorbing it, making a miniature sun on the cover to warm his face.

The extravagant Free household was soon filled with the melodic sounds of a piano. Even in the early hours of the morning, Isaac knew that his parents wouldn’t mind. They called him their little alarm clock, preferring his music to the irritating noise of buzzers.

“And you…. Make me…. Feel like I’m living a… Teenage dream… The way you turn me on…” He sings, his deep voice giving the song a masculine tone. He’d been working on it for weeks, a birthday present for his boyfriend.

Issac was eighteen, and had just graduated from high school, Salutatorian, actually, losing out only to the class president. His parents were still thrilled though, his ears burning from the constant praise. He was a few months away from heading off to college, completely full ride between his soccer and academic scholarships.

As he continues playing, the sun moves ever so slightly, now reflecting.off his skin, warming his body. He loved the sun. It made him… Happy.

Isaac was tall, toned, and tanned. He was a bit of a lightweight though, and wasn’t about to get into fights. He’d get his ass kicked easily. He had spiky dark brown hair, and just a bit of fuzz on his face. Though he looked a little rough then, his hair still a mess from sleep, and him in a ratty t-shirt and boxers.

“…let you put your hands on me if that’s what you need, in this teenage dream…. Tonight…” He says, finishing the song, holding the last note.

“Pwetty.” He hears a tiny litte voice say. He turns to his side and noticed his baby brother Gavin climbing onto the bench with him, carrying his Paddingon Bear.  
Isaac smiled, seeing Gavin wipe the sleep from his eyes.

“Thank you Gavin. I’m sorry if I woke you up.” He says hugging his brother tightly.

Gavin had been a pleasent addition to his parents. Apparently vasectomies don’t always “take”, much to his fathers surprise. Still.. He loved his little brother, Gavin was the sweetest and most adorable kid in the world. He was like a little clone of Issac, just blonder. Even his bed head was exactly like his. Like Isaac, he too was in a ratty hand me down t shirt, also in his own tiny boxers.

“Eye-sack, can you do the pooh bear?” Gavin asks, giving him an excited look.

Isaac grinned. “Of course Gavin, anything for you.” He says, Gavin crawling on his lap.

Isaac begins playing keys, a new tone echoing in the tall walls of their home. It’s gentle, but upbeat and exciting.

“Gotta get up… I’ve Gotta get goin’…. I’m gonna to see a friend of mine!” Isaac sings playfully, Gavin smiling wide at his favorite song.

“He’s round and he’s fuzzy, and I love because he’s just…..” Isaac sings, pausing for Gavin.

“Pooh Bear!” Gavin shouts excitedly, attempting the tone, missing it completely.

Isaac laughs. “Winnie the pooh bear! Looking for fun! Chasing some honey bees….”

The two sit there, singing the song together, swaying back and forth in tune with the music, both smiling, happier than anyone could possibly imagine.

————

After a shower, helping Gavin get dressed, and changing himself, Isaac carried Gavin on his shoulders into the living room, his mother smiling at him.

“Isaac, you are such a darling, taking care of your little brother like that. You should be out with friends enjoying your summer before heading off to college. Heaven knows why Cameron puts up with you… Don’t worry about him so much, the lad can take care of himself.” His mother says, shaking her head towards the end. Isaac rolled his eyes. His mom clearly played favorites, and it irritated him.

“Oh.. Father will be late from work. I think we’ll skip on the family outing to the park until tomorrow” she says, returning to her needlework.

“Aww…” Gavin says, clearly dissapointed.

Isaac laughed. “Don’t feel bad little guy, I’ll call Cameron an we’ll go ourselves!” He says, alreading pulling out his cell phone.

Gavin’s face lights up. “Yaaaaaay!” He says, clapping his hands together.

His mother sighs. “Darling, your boyfriend is probably sick of your brother. Go out and have fun! See a movie! Go skating. Something!”

Isaac shakes his head. “Mom, Cameron loves Gavin, chill!” He says, punching the number into his phone, Gavin holding the phone up to his ear for him.

Cameron picks up. “Hey babe, what’s up?” He asks.

Isaac smiled. He loved Cameron’s voice. It had a tint of Hispanic accent to it, his mother from Mexico originally, and him picking up a bit of her accent over his childhood. Unfortunately, the years on Texas soil butchered it. Although, his own English accent had long been thrown out the window in a similar fashion, so who was he to talk?

“Love, Wanna come to the state park with me and Gavin? Our day got jacked, I’m looking for something to do.” He says, already slipping on his sandals, picking up his keys from the table.

“Be there in ten, you can drive!” He says, hanging up his phone on Isaac. He took his phone from Gavin, smiling at the man’s quirk for ending conversations.

“Mom, heading out! I’ll be back by eight!” He says, waving goodbye. She throws him a quick kiss.

“Bye mommy!” Gavin says. His mother doesn’t respond at all.

————

Isaac and Cameron each had one of Gavin’s hands, lifting him as the walked around the long hiking trail, the little one squealing excitedly each time he got to fly.

Isaac looked over at Cameron, realizing what a lucky man he was. Cameron was a lot shorter than he was, but still had an average height. He wore these really goofy looking thick trimmed black glasses, and had on his far too worn out drama club t-shirt. He was darkly tanned, half from his mother’s heritage, the other half from doing stuff outside with Isaac all the time.

“Whatcha staring at babe?” He says, grinning seductively, and Isaac chuckles.

Gavin looks up at Isaac. “Sing for me and Came-Ron” he says excitedly, hopping up an down, swinging on their arms.

Cameron nods. “Yeah, I’d like that too. My favorite, if you please.” He says grinning widely.

-

Isaac hums a moment or two, and opens his mouth, letting his voice flow free.

“You came into my life…. Straight from above…. When I lost all hope…. You showed me love…. Boy… you right on time… Angeeeeelll, of mine….” He sings, hitting the notes beautifully, a few passerbys now following him, listening to the a Capella performance.

“When I first saw you, I already knew… There was something inside of you, something I thought I’d never find. Angel… Of mine….” He sings, Cameron looking at him as the words flowed, eyes taking in all of Isaac. Both inside and outside, he truly was a blessed man, and he couldn’t understand how someone so wonderful could have ever been… So sad and lonely… So… Disgusted with life.

Despite that… Cameron knew…. He was the one. The one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life… He’d known that for a while now.

“How you changed my world, you’ll never know… I’m different now…. You helped me grow….” He sings, Cameron seeing him look down at Gavin, his heart melting as the brothers smiled at each other. Isaac put more love into him and Gavin than just about anything. He honestly put Cameron to shame.

The song continues, each note making him love Isaac even more than he already did. He always gave Cameron a song on his birthday, this one from their first celebration years ago. He couldn’t wait to see what he had for him this year.

“Now I know why they say the best things are free…. Boy you’re right on time…. Angel…. Of mine….” He says, finishing. There’s a small round of applause from the other walkers, a few asking for an encore. Cameron and Gavin both clapped, and Isaac takes a short bow.

-

“Bruv, you’re so good! How you do that?” Gavin asks, motioning for Isaac to pick him up, Cameron grabbing him instead, ruffling his hair.

Isaac smiled. “Well, I guess I’m lucky to have a good voice. But you have to practice too! Otherwise you’ll never get REALLY good!” He says, Gavin having a curious look on his face. “Bruv, you think I can sing good?” He asks embarrassed.  
Cameron nods his head. “Please, you’ll have an angelic voice. Your whole family is full of them, lucky bastards.” He says, Isaac slapping him on the head for swearing in front of the kid.

Gavin still has a fun look on his face though. “Pooh Bear, Winnie the Pooh bear!” He sings, horribly out of key, but still in a charming voice.

They all begin singing along, a tad obnoxiously, and they lose their previous audience quickly, leaving just the three of them.

They take a turn on the trail, now on the part of it exposing a nearby highway. It’s a long stretch, but the best part of the walk, the bright sun exposed and hitting them, the warmth exploding on their faces.

Cameron sighs loudly. “Babe… Why don’t you go do singing stuff instead of school and soccer? Try American Idol or something? You’d knock em dead, and you love music.” Cameron says, still holding Gavin, bringing up the conversation again for the millionth time since they were kids.

Isaac breathes in deeply. “Maybe… But then, that’s not why I sing.” He says, taking Cameron’s hand, their fingers intertwining.

Cameron gives him a puzzled look. “Oh? I thought it was because you didn’t have time for Hollywood bullshit?” He asks, Gavin now giving him an equally curious look.

Isaac chuckles. “I sing because I want to make the people I love happy. Not for millions of dollars, not for fame or fortune, but rather…. Because I love the way music makes people feel. It’s personal to me… And.. I owe it to people like you and Gavin. He says, feeling Cameron grip him harder.

Cameron gives him a longing look, and the three of them stop for a moment. “So… That’s why you’re going into music education.”

Isaac nods. “Yeah.. Besides.. I promised this little guy I’d teach him, didn’t I?” He says, kissing Gavin on the forehead, then kissing Cameron on the lips.

Cameron lets out a playful sigh. “You really are cheesy as hell, you know that!” He says, both of them laughing, Gavin looking confused. “How’s bruv a cheese?” He asks quizzically.

They laugh again. “Seriously though Isaac, do whatever the hell you want. I got your back.” He says, patting him on the back for emphasis.

Gavin claps from Cameron’s arms. “Me too!”

Isaac blushes a bit. The love and support from these two were far too much.

“I love you both, more than you’ll ever know.” He says, turning around slowly, a horn blaring behind them.

The world slows to a crawl, Isaac’s eyes widening in fear.

A car was barreling towards them, clearly off the road, destroying the sidewalk shrubbery that usually served as a barrier between the street and pedestrian sidewalk.

So slowly, yet… So fast.

There was no time.

Cameron froze in panic, and Gavin started yelling his name, but Isaac acted quickly, with only a few seconds remaning before impact.

With every fiber of his strength, he pushes the two of them as hard as he can, them flying into the park’s small forest, out of harm’s way.  
He smiles, seeing Cameron and Gavin fall safely into a patch of grass. He then quickly attempts to save himself, pumping his feet as hard as he can.

Things quickly begin flashing before him.

-

_The Free dinner table was tense._

_“Isaac, what on EARTH could you possibly be sad about? You have a lovely voice, nice things, a brilliant mind, great athletic ability. and a wonderful friend. Absolute nonsense.” His mother says, disregarding his statement all together._

_Isaac was 13, but undetterred. “MOM, I’m telling you, I don’t know! I’m just sad! I don’t even want to get out of bed in the mornings!” He says, in a hurt tone. It was true. Waking up was literally a daily struggle._

_His friend Cameron nods his head. “Yeah, Mrs. Free! Listen to him! Please?!” He says, giving them a serious look._

_Isaac’s father just sighs. “So we send you to a shrink. What then? You just…. Talk for an hour and feel better? You can do that at home for free, without being a shame to the family…” He says, taking a long sip of his dinner wine._

_Isaac pouts, giving his father a dirty look._

_His father shakes his head. “Isaac, you are a talented boy, and have more intelligence than some adults. Your life is just starting to be lived, don’t be so sad about it! Relish it!” He says, the discussion over._

_Isaac frowns, feeling Cameron pat him on the leg. He was a a good friend._

_Thinking back, he wished his parents understood._

_-_

_Isaac and Cameron are hanging out after school in the new drama room. He’s still thirteen, nearly fourteen, a freshman in high school, about to try out for a singing part to some volunteer director._

_“So your mom is going to have a baby? That’s cool!” Cameron says, patting him on the back._

_Isaac shrugs. “Whatever…” He says in a dark and deflated tone._

_Cameron frowns. “Dude, you still feel bad?” He asks, taking a seat next to him._

_Isaac nods. “It’s like I’m sleepy all the time. I don’t wanna do shit, and I just have this feeling of dread all the time. Like… Like nobody likes me. Like everyone hates me.” He says, curling into a small ball. He didn’t even know why he was there. Oh yeah… Cameron drug him there, begging. That’s why._

_Cameron puts his arm around him. “Dude, coach orgasms over you and your goal scoring. You’re like… The smartest guy in school. Everyone loves you!” He says grabbing him by the cheeks, pulling his face towards him._

_“I… I love you…” He says, planting a quick kiss on his cheek, pulling away quickly and blushing._

_Isaac feels his cheek. “Dude… Did you just kiss me?” He says, getting a shocked expression on his face._

_Cameron nods his head. “You got a problem with that?” He says in a sulky voice, not looking Isaac in the eyes._

_They sit there awkwardly a few minutes, not really saying much._

_“Can you do it again?” Isaac mumbles finally, Cameron’s face lighting up, hugging his best friend, embracing each other, and quickly attempting to make out, but inexperience makes it a rather comical looking ordeal._

_The door to the drama room swings open, and two people walk in, catching them clearly in the act._

_“And you’ll see Jackie, they actually-oh my…” Says the old greying Mrs. Thompson, covering her mouth in shock, giggling, a big man with a hot red beard chuckling at the sight._

_“Well, looks like some things don’t change. Geoff and Griffon used the drama room in a similar way.” The man says, Cameron and Isaac grabbing their things, rushing out the door._

_“Uh… Sorry Mrs. Thompson, we’ll leave. I uh… Will audition tomorrow.” Isaac says, grabbing Cameron’s hand, leading them out of the room._

_Thinking back, their first kiss wasn’t very romantic… But he did get the part!_

_-_

_Isaac held baby Gavin in his arms, Cameron grinning next to him. “So… How’s it feel to be a big brother?” He says, twiddling with Gavin’s toes, the baby laughing at it._

_Mr. Free scoffs. “Brother? Please, he’s old enough biologically to be the boy’s father. I’m going to have another word with my specialist, damn moron. Though, this is one of the many reasons we love you being our son’s boyfriend Cameron.” He says, chuckling at his own joke._

_“Thanks Dad.” Isaac says sarcastically, Cameron snorting at the comment._

_Isaac gazed down at his baby brother. He looked so happy. So.. So happy._

_“I think the little guy likes you Isaac!” Cameron says sweetly, waving at the baby himself._

_Yeah… he did… Maybe Isaac could make Gavin happy. The way he wasn’t._

_Thinking back… That was really when he started wanting to live again. Between Cameron and the role model he needed to be for his brother… Well, he felt his heart again. Weak… But it was there._

_-_

_Gavin had just turned a year old. Him, Isaac and Cameron were hanging out in the living room, Gavin waddling between them._

_“Not exactly how I imagined the school’s star athlete spending his spring formal weekend, but I’m not complaining.” Cameron said, smiling as the giggling bunch wobbled over to him._

_Isaac rolled his eyes. “What? You wanna go to a party or something? Wrong boyfriend. I’m a family man.” He says proudly, grabbing Gavin up, hugging him giddily._

_Cameron laughed. “Well good. I want no less than three children, and we’re adopting Gavin.” He says, both of them grinning big._

_Despite the fact that they were barely sixteen, the two of them were head over heels in love. It wasn’t some teenage fling either. They had spats, mostly about conflicting schedules, but they always made up ten minutes later, unable to stand being apart. They agreed on most things in life too. Most importantly though, they were open with each other, and were never afraid to tell each other exactly how they felt. It was a rare thing for people their age._

_“You boys are far too young to even THINK of children. Don’t scare your poor mother like that!” She says, slapping Isaac playfully on the head._

_Cameron gives her a devious grin. “We can have Gavin though, right?” He says, Isaac smiling at the joke._

_His mother sighs. “If you want him, fine. He’ll be more trouble by the time you boys get out, so be my guest.” She says, plopping down on the couch. Gavin doesn’t even register her, too obsessed with Isaac’s bright red shirt._

_Thinking back… He wished he’d called his mother out on that…_

_-_

_At seventeen, scoring the state championship’s winning goal was definitely on the top things any teenager would love to have happen._

_The roar of the crowd was deafening. Even thirty minutes after the big game, people were still cheering like mad. Isaac was sweating and gross, but posing for photos regardless._

_“Oh honey, hold up the trophy higher! Act proud! ” his mother says, snapping picture after picture._

_Cameron was holding Gavin, Isaac’s father speaking with one of the many scouts that had been watching them._

_Gavin was nearly three, and had been babbling a lot lately. He could do sentences, but it broke Issac’s heart that he still couldn’t say his name. Taking after his parents accent, he just got called bruv a lot._

_“Oh honey, I’m so proud of you. All that effort and energy was amazing!” She said, gushing again._

_Isaac took a hard look at Gavin and Cameron. He’d done it for them. All that energy? Well… He wanted to be someone those two would be proud of. Someone they’d love. That’s where it all came from. Seeing their excited faces? Well, his aching body was well worth it._

_Cameron jumps next to him, throwing Gavin on his shoulder. “Tell bruv what we’ve been working on!” Cameron says, winking, taking his mother’s camera, using it properly for the first time the whole day. All her previous pictures were blurry and unfocused._

_“Eeeeeeeesiiiiick!” He forces out of his mouth, Isaac grinning big, hearing the mangeled word finally, Cameron smiling, snapping his giddy expression. “There’s one for the mantle!” He says, joining Isaac and Gavin in a big hug, Cameron taking an obnoxious selfsie for his own collection._

_Thinking back… He was hard pressed to think of any day he’d been happier. His old dark thoughts far away from his mind, he was finally somewhere he wanted to be. Cameron had been right. Things do get better._

_Thinking even further back… He takes back any time he ever begged god to kill him._

_-_

_“Haark the herald angel sing…. Glory to… The newborn king…” Isaac sings mindlessly into Cameron’s ear, the man recoiling at the noise, the vibrations driving him wild in his ear._

_Cameron turns back to Isaac. “Keep that up babe, and I’ll pelt you one!” He says quietly, Isaac grinning deviously. He knew how it drove that man wild. He’d pay for that later, but he’d like it._

_Christmas at the Free home was gorgeous. His parents had gone all out, fully decorating it in lavish decorations to celebrate his recent success. He would soon graduate from high school, and just got his acceptance letter to college._

_Scholarships were coming through too. Even better? Cameron was going too, and they were trying to be roommates, not that he’d told his parents that…_

_Though those thoughts were far from his mind._

_Cameron sitting in his lap, they watched as a little four year old Gavin ripped open his gift from them._

_“Thank you bruvs! I love him!” Gavin says, hugging the soft plush bear in his hands, taking him from a lovely looking box. Isaac smiled. Gavin loved Pooh Bear, and had been asking if he could get his own some day._

_“Oh Isaac, seriously, the boy is too old for stuffed animals.” His father says, sighing loudly._

_Cameron rolled his eyes. “Don’t listen Gavin, you love Mr. Paddingon lots ok? Your big bruv spent nearly seven hours looking for it. The asshole spent five minutes getting mine. Gee, I wonder who he loves more?!” He says, Gavin giggling, running up to hug Isaac as hard as he could, Cameron joining in too._

_“Dawwww, so cute.” His mother says. Snapping a picture, remembering to focus this time._

_Isaac pats Gavin on the head. ” Well… When I’m gone to college, you treat that bear like me, ok? You talk to him like he’s me, and when I come home on weekends, we’ll talk all about it with him!” He says, Gavin nodding._

_Cameron sighs. “Cheeeeseballl!” He says, everyone in the room laughing in agreement._

_Thinking back… That bear was worth every cold hour in every toy store. Even more worth the fifty dollar price tag._

_-_

_Gavin in in his lap, that morning’s sunlight washing over them. They’d finished pooh bear, and he went back to Cameron’s song on the piano._

_“Do you really gotta go to cole-ledge?” Gavin asks sadly, tightly gripping the bear._

_Isaac kissed him on the head. “Sorry buddy, I gotta…. When I’m done, I can start teaching you piano though!” He says, changing the piano’s melody softly, going into one of the lullabies he wrote for Gavin._

_Gavin looks sad. “But… I’ll miss you bruv… I’ll be sad without you…”He says, tearing up a bit._

_Isaac turns him around, giving him a stern look. “Gavin… Everything will be ok, I promise. Things might look bad… But, trust me… Things get better. Things get so much better…” He says smiling sincerely, the sun glistening off his eyes, tears rolling down them, unable to miss the parallel in his own life._

_Gavin gets a shocked look on his face. “Bruv… Why you crying ?” He asks wiping them from Isaac’s face gently._

_Isaac smiles. “Thank you.. For giving me my life Gavin… I don’t think… I can ever repay you and Cameron enough…” He says choking up a bit._

_“I wake up now… I want to wake up and enjoy every single day with you two. I get mad when I sleep in. There’s… Just so much to love about life now.. I feel it.” He says, wiping a few stray tears himself now._

_Gavin looks confused, but still concerned._

_Isaac embraces him tightly. “Don’t worry about it Gavin… Just… Be happy… Please… I’ll come home every weekend. I promise. Big bruv isn’t going away forever…”He says, feeling the boy nod in his shoulder._

_Thinking back… Isaac wished he hadn’t made that promise._

———

Isaac realizes he won’t make it. The car was inches from him.

“I’m sorry.” He manges to say, Cameron and Gavin both reaching for him. At least… At least they were safe. Cameron would be there for Gavin. Gavin had his parents. They’d take care of him. He hoped.

_Anyone… If you’re listening… Please…. Take care of them for me… This… This is my last wish… I beg you… Give Gavin my life. Give Cameron my heart. And…. Thank you… Thank you for letting me enjoy what time I had… It was short… But it was wonderful.._

The car makes impact against Isaac’s body, and everything flashing before him vanished all at once, the faces of the ones he loved most in the world the last thing he would ever see.

——-

Cameron and Gavin sat there crying against each other in Isaac’s hospital room.

“Bring Bruv back! Please!” Gavin begs Cameron, the man sobbing into the child’s hair.

“I… I wish I could kiddo….” He manages to stutter, looking back at Isaac’s pale and lifeless body laying there.

They tried reviving him, but he was dead on impact. The driver sped off immediately, Cameron too distraught to catch the license plate.

Isaac’s parents and nursing staff had come and gone. His mother was inconsolable, lashing out at both him and Gavin, blaming them both entirely. His father took her home, completely forgetting their own child in their grief. Not that Isaac would want Gavin anywhere else then.

“Bruv…..” Gavin says again, rubbing his nose against Cameron’s shirt.  
He patted the child, and slowly rocked him.

“Gavin. Every…. Everything….. I’ll…. We….” Cameron searches hard to find the words, but they won’t come.

Gavin stops his crying for a minute, still hiccuping.

“P…pp…. Pooh bear…. Winnie the poor bear…” Gavin sings, barely able to contain his sadness.

Cameron smiles, remembering that stupid song Isaac constantly sang Gavin.

“And when we’re alone…. And there’s nobody home…. It’s nice to be all to count on a friend… LI…. Li…ke….” Cameron stutters out, having no musical talent at all, but it still in some semblance of tone, his shaking and lonely voice giving the lines a much darker meaning..

“Silly ol’ Winnie the Pooh….” Gavin finishes, both of them trying not to cry.

Cameron stands up, and they move over to Isaac’s body. Cameron kissed him on the forehead, him letting Gavin do the same.

“Goodbye Isaac. Th…. Thank you…. You were far too good for me…” Cameron says, watching as Gavin waves to him, fresh tears running down his tiny face.

-

Almost a year later, Cameron stood outside the Free home. He hadnt been back since the funeral. Mrs. Free made it clear he wasn’t welcome anymore.

Still… He had one last thing to do… He couldn’t leave again without… Saying something… It was just a feeling. He couldn’t explain it…

Taking a deep breath, he waked the short path to their door, and knocked on the door. Mr. Free opened it, sighing at him.

“Cameron.. Now is not…” He starts..

“I just want to see Gavin. Then I’ll go. Promise.” He says, trying hard to fight back his tears.

The man pauses for a moment or two, sighing loudly, walking back into the home and dragging little Gavin out. He looked terrible, clutching that little bear they have him a few years back.

“I’ll be inside, and make sure his mother doesn’t notice you.” He says, slamming the door shut.  
Gavin runs into Cameron’s arms, but doesn’t say anything.

“Gavin… I came to say goodbye. I’m going back to college soon, but… Had to give you something…” He says rustling in his pockets, pulling out a tiny red ribbon.  
The boy just sat there, not saying anything.

Cameron took his bear and slowly tied the ribbon around the bear’s neck. “That… That was from your bruv. It… It was the ribbon he gave me on the first present he ever gave me. I thought Teddy would look pretty with it.” He says, finishing the tie, handing it back to him. “Hold onto to Teddy real good, ok? I think he and Isaac still talk…” Cameron says, remembering Isaac’s words on that Christmas a long time ago.

Gavin clutches it tightly, but still not saying a word. Why… Why wasn’t he saying anything?

Cameron touches him on the shoulder. “Gavin… Are you ok?” He asks.

Gavin shakes his head, pointing to his bear.

“W… What? What’s wrong? Just tell me Gavin…” He asks pleadingly, the boy shaking his head again.  
Cameron isn’t sure what to make of this…

“I’m…. I’m sorry Gavin… I don’t understand..” He says, watching Gavin run up to him, giving him a big hug again. It broke his heart. Even after all that time…. He still couldn’t forget..

Cameron returns the embrace, and kneels down to him. “Gavin… I… I don’t know what I can say to make this better… I… I’m still struggling myself… But…. Things will get better. I promise!” He says, grinning weakly.

Gavin nods, giving him an “ok” sign with his fingers.

Cameron laughs, and ruffles Gavin’s hair a bit. “Well kiddo, I have to go. Just… Don’t hold it all in, ok? Be sure and tell your folks when you’re sad, Isaac would want that. Anyway, I’ll try and come visit on the holidays, maybe your mom will have calmed down by then.. Promise!” He says, jogging off as he notices the garage door opening, not wanting to get caught by Mrs. Free.

He climbs in his car, unseen. Gavin waves teddy, looking distraught that he was leaving again…

He waves to Gavin in his car, watching as Mr. Free straps him into the car, Mrs. Free driving.

He sighs painfully. He wanted to take the kid with him, more than anything… But.. That just wasn’t possible.

Starting his car, Cameron takes off, a block or two on his way back to school.

Cameron… Thank you…. He’ll be ok now…

Cameron stops his car immediately, slamming the breaks.

“I…. Isaac?” He says, swearing he could hear the man’s voice clear as day.

-

SLAP

The sound of a hand hitting skin echoed in the car, the small boy in the car seat covering his ears like mommy told him, tears already running down his face, but refusing to whimper.

“Stupid bitch, that was all your fucking fault!!!! That kid is dead because of YOU! You and that peice of shit back there!” A harsh male voice screams, raging. The man was in his late thirties, fairly large set, with an unruly beard, his red and drunken eyes hidden by a pair of thin sunglasses. His short black hair was greasy, unkempt and disgusting.

The woman in the passenger side can already feel the welt on her face growing. She was a tad younger than the man, a petit frame, with flaming red hair down to her shoulders, well taken care of and gorgeous.

“Go to the damn park. You just HAD to go to the park today, DIDN’TCHA Mikey?” He screams, throwing an empty beer can at the child in the backseat, making contact, but the actual strike not hurting. The boy recoils in fear, attempting to curl in a ball, but his straps confining him.

“Darling, it was me that promised-“

SLAP

Another strike hits the woman on her face, this time with the man’s large ring, drawing blood with a small scratch. “Did I ask for your god damn opinion?” He says, his words slurring as they pull into their run down shack of a home. He parks, slamming the breaks and kicking up gravel and dust.

The man gets out of the car, rushing to her side, yanking her out of the car quickly. “Inside. NOW!” He demands, the woman attempting to fight him off.

“Stop! Michael is still in the car! He’ll burn alive!”. She says painfully, reaching with all her strength towards the car door, thankfully cracking the back door before losing out to her husband’s strength.

She is drug into the house, the little boy in the back reaching for her desperately. “MOMMY!” He screams, trying everything to get out of his binds.

-

It was late afternoon, the sun scorching.

Michael stayed in the car all day. He couldn’t get the carseat buttons pressed, and mommy wouldn’t answer him as he called for her, sobbing loudly at first, finally giving up after an hour. The car was hot and Michael wanted water…. He was real thirsty… His face was burning, and the sunlight was painful to look at.

As he drifted off to sleep again, he let out a small whimper.

“Mommy… I don’t…. I don’t want daddy… Mommy…. Come get me…. Pweaze….” He says, finally letting himself sleep, sweat rolling down his tiny little face, still hiccuping.

-

The Free family was out on a drive, going to a social function. Gavin’s mommy and daddy were in the front, him in the back carseat.  
Gavin clutched his bear, thinking about what Cameron had said. He loved him liked he love bruv…

Tell your folks if you’re sad. Isaac would want that.

Gavin frowned. He didn’t know what to do… Daddy said not to talk, and mum yelled at him when he did…

It’s ok Gavin…

I…. Isaac?

He takes a deep breath, tears forming in his eyes.

“Mommy… I miss Isaac….” He manages to say.

Moments later, his mother lost control of the car, turning around and hysterically screeching at him, attempting to strike him with her claw-like nails.

She doesn’t get the chance.

The crash echoed, Gavin protected from the danger from his mother’s body and his teddy cushioning his head him from the impact, it drawn over his face in fear of his mother.

He passes out from the shock, but was otherwise unharmed.

It’s ok Gavin… Everything will be better soon… I promise…

—————-

It was late in the Ramsey home. Gavin and Michael both had nightmares, so Geoff let them watch TV in his arms in the living room. He put on Pooh Bear tapes, and it made Gavin remember his old brothers….

Gavin wakes up in Geoff’s arms, tears running down his eyes. He dreamed about his old bruvs again. He missed them. He wanted Isaac to sing again. He wanted Cameron to hold him..

Michael next to him, snoozing. Geoff was asleep too, snoring softly.

His loneliness evaporated immediately. Michael and Geoff were still there… They still loved him… They were still his family…

He smiled, cuddling in Geoff’s arms, seeing his teddy laying down on the couch, the little bear smiling gently.

“Teddy… Tell Isaac…. I’m ok… I’m happy again.. You were right… It got better… Thank you.. I got new brothers, a good daddy, and… Geoff..”. He says quietly, but still stirring Geoff from his sleep.

“Who’s Isaac, Gavin?” Geoff asks groggily, rubbing Gavin’s head softly.

Gavin smiles. “He was… A lot like you… Dad…” He says, trying to mimic Ryan’s word. He learned it slowly, but Geoff wasn’t a daddy like Jackie, but he loved Geoff too.

He was like Cameron and Bruv… He… He just was. He didn’t know why.

Geoff grins. “Oh! Well, he must be a great guy!” He says, chuckling a bit, but still sleepy.

Gavin smiled. “He was the best.. He singed good and Helped me sleep..” He says, laying his head back down on Geoff’s shoulder, taking his big hand and clinging to it.

“Oh? Want me to sing Gavin?” Geoff says, clenching Gavin’s tiny hand back in comfort.

Gavin nods his sleepy head.

Geoff clears his throat. “You… With the sad eyes…. Don’t be discouraged…. Though i realize….. It’s hard to take courage… In a world… Full of people, you can lose sight of it all…. That the darkness inside you… Can make you feel so small…” He sings huskily, his voice untrained and not at all in tune.

Gavin smiled. Geoff was a stinky singer… But…. He could picture Isaac. Clearly. Playing the piano in their old home, in the early morning, Geoff’s voice echoing out of Isaac’s mouth, a beautiful tone playing in his head.

“I see your true…. Colors…. Shining through…. See your true colors… And that’s why I love you… So don’t be afraid… To let them show … your true colors…. Your true colors… Cuz they’re beautiful…. Like a….. Raiiinboooow….” Geoff continues singing softly.

Goodnight Gavin..

“Goodnight Isaac… goodnight Dad…” He says, drifting off to sleep once again.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	9. Dan's Courage

Chapter 8 - Dan's Courage

_The small motel room was a disaster. Dirty clothes could be found all over it, all of them unwashed or uncared for in months. The TV was on, though with poor reception, it was practically white noise. Lights were off, as two individuals were sleeping, the curtains drawn, only a few little rays of light shining through underneath them._

_The light is reflected off a small brown haired boy._

_“Mum… When can I go to the park?” asks a small, shaking voice. Dan sits there, shaking his mum’s body. She’s half-asleep, again. Father was too. They always slept._

_“Daniel… Mommy’s tired… Just… Just go to sleep baby…” she manages stutter out of her mouth, not even bothering to look him in the eyes._

_Dan frowns. “Mum… It’s day, I’m not sleepy!” he says, whining a bit._

_His father turns to him now. “Dan, don’t be such a baby.”_

_Dan cringed and put his head down, not wanting to cry. He was NOT a baby!_

_Mum never played with him anymore. Father didn’t either. They said everyone was mean, dangerous, or they might lose their home. He.. He was scared, but… He still wanted to play, like they did back in their first home…_

_A strong rumbling erupts from Dan’s stomach, reminding him of why he wanted to go play. Playing made him forget his tummy rumbling…_

_Dan opens the small fridge sitting in the floor. It’s virtually empty, but he pulls out a small carton of milk. It smells funny, but Dan drinks it. He was REALLY hungry. Mum said they couldn’t eat for a while, but said it would be ok soon. She or father had to get a job, and would REAL soon, once they felt better._

_Drinking the little bit that was in the milk carton, he puts it back, wishing there was more. It was the only thing in the fridge. Mum and Dad had those things they put in their arms, but they said Dan couldn’t have any._

_Dan’s tummy hurts. He walks back and hops on his mother’s bed, and tries shaking his mum again. “Mum… My tummy hurts…” he says, pushing her back and forth. The woman turns around, her eyes opening slightly._

_“Daniel… Go away, mummy’s tired…” she says, turning back around, her face going away from his._

_Dan sits there for a moment or two, rubbing his tummy. It made funny noises too._

_There’s a loud knock at the door. Dan gets up from the floor and hurries over to it, unlocking it and turning the knob, doing like they told him. “Mum’s sleeping, please go away!” he says, looking through the small crack. The top of the door was still chained shut, but the crack still let him see through it. There’s a pretty lady there._

_“Hi there! My name’s Kara. Can I talk to you for a minute?” she says in a really pretty voice, running her hand through her hair._

_Dan puts his head back into the door, not looking at the lady. “Mum says not to talk to strangers…Please go away…” he says shyly._

_The lady doesn’t move. “Your mom is smart then, you shouldn’t! But… Is your name Daniel? Your motel manager Mr. Garsby called me and asked me to come and talk to you! Does that still make me a stranger?” she says just as kindly as before._

_Dan peeks his face through the cracked door again. The manager man was nice. He gave Dan some bread once, saying he looked skinny. Mum said not to talk to him anymore though. Mum said he was a mean man that would make them leave if he came around too much… Still… He was so nice… So maybe Kara wasn’t bad either… But mum did say…_

_“No… You’re… You’re a stranger…” Dan says reluctantly, looking at Kara in the eyes again, cowering a bit. Mum said that all people were scary and to stay away from them. They’d hurt him… He.. He didn’t want to hurt.._

_His tummy rumbles again, and he puts his hand on his stomach, another one on his mouth. He didn’t feel good._

_The Kara lady smiles. “Dan, are you ok? You look just a little sicky!” she says, taking a step back, giving him some space._

_Dan nods his head up and down. “My tummy hurts, and I’m hungry.”_

_Kara frowns. “I’m so sorry Daniel! Is your Mommy helping you feel better?”_

_Daniel shakes his head. “Mommy said to go away. She’s sleeping…”_

_Kara frowns even more. “Ohhhh.. I’m sorry… Well that’s no good! Are you eating enough?” she says, smiling again._

_Dan frowns and turns his head down in shame. “We can’t eat this week again.. No monies… I can’t have the shots either…” he says sadly._

_Kara tilts her head a bit. “Shots? What shots?”_

_Dan looks back up at her. “Mum and Father feel bad, so they get shots from the doctor to make them feel better. I can’t have any though. They say it’s just for grown-ups.”_

_Dan sees that Kara puts her hand up to her face, shaking her head. She wipes her forehead a bit, then looks at Dan smiling again. He liked it when she smiled. She looked nice…_

_Kara puts her hand just outside the door, still not in direct contact with him, but offering her hand. “Daniel, will you let me help you? I can make your tummy feel better, and I’d love to take you to lunch. Can I ask your mommy if it’s ok?”_

_Dan waits for a moment or two. Mum says it’s not ok to let people in… But… Kara was nice… And…. And he was hungry…_

_“M….mum says no…” he says, shaking a bit. Mum yelled at him when he didn’t listen. But… He wanted food…_

_Kara doesn’t move. “Daniel… I know it’s scary… I know you feel bad… But… I need you to be brave, ok? I just want to help you, and I’m with the State of Texas. It’s my job to make sure you’re taken care of, and… I think you need help.” She says, pulling out a small wallet and showing him her picture._

_Dan’s stomach growls loudly again. “Please Daniel. Don’t be afraid. Everything will be ok. I promise, you just need to believe in me, and I’ll make everything better.” she says, grinning._

_He slammed the door in Kara’s face and her expression drops._

_._

_._

_._

_He tries with all his might and speed to jump and reach the chain locked to the door. He jumps over and over again, making a big noise, and Kara hears it._

_“Daniel? Are you ok?” she asks._

_He grabs the doorknob and tries to (unsuccessfully) pull himself up taller, his hands shaking, just barely out of reach._

_“I can’t reach it!” he says, a little sad, tears running down his face._

_“Daniel? Can you open the door again?” Kara says loudly. Daniel obliges, and cracks the door as big as he can, the chain tightly stopping it from going any further; trying with all his might to fit through the small gap, but it’s too small._

_“I CAN’T GET OUT!” he says frantically, still not stirring his parents to any degree, trying to grab Kara’s hand, her giving him a moment to calm down._

_Kara smiles. “It’s ok, just calm down, we’ll get you out of there… Daniel, do I have your permission to come in your home? Do you need my help?”_

_Dan nods his head. “Yes ma’m. Please!” he says, putting all of his faith in Kara, just wanting… Just wanting some food, some attention… Anything…_

_Kara waves her hand, and Mr. Garsby comes through, waving politely at Daniel. He was an old man, and looked like a grandpa in his late eighties. He had a bald head, and a thick white moustache, wearing a pair of glasses. “Hey there little Daniel, since we can come in, I’m gonna break the chain, ok? Stand back, and Kara’s gonna take good care of you!” he says._

_Dan steps back immediately, watching as Mr. Garsby puts a pair of really big scizzor-like things on the chain, cutting it right in half! The chain fell to the floor, right in front of Dan, and Kara opened it widely, offering her hand once again to Dan._

_“Come on… Let’s let the policemen go talk to your mommy for a minute, and we’ll go get you whatever you want to eat, ok?” she says smiling. He sees there are policemen outside the house, but they’re not moving, probably waiting on her order. Was she.. Was she the police boss? That was cool!_

_Dan runs, stepping on the broken chain and jumping as far as he could, going into the police boss’s arms._

_Kara carries him quickly out of the house, waving her hands, with several policeman going inside their home. “It’s ok Daniel, everything is going to be ok, I promise you with all my heart.” She says, Daniel noticing something was different about her hugs than mum’s…_

_She was warm._

~~~~~~~

Since school started, the early Saturday morning hours were usually some of the best that Jack had as a father. Hell, it was relaxing, considering all the work they’d put into HH2, which was about to finally be open that coming Monday. He’d planned to take Gavin out in the backyard, reading him a story or just sitting there chatting aimlessly about anything the kid wanted to talk about. Gavin was really coming out of his prison quickly now, and Jack loved it.

He opens the door slowly to Gavin’s room, seeing his bed oddly vacant, the room spotless already. “Gavin?” Jack asks questionably, not having ever known his son to get out of bed on his own, usually waiting for someone to fetch him.

“Thank you Dad!” Gavin says softly, but loud enough that Jack could hear it from the hallway. Closing Gavin’s room, he clutches their book in his hands, and walks into the living room. Was Gavin talking to someone? Geoff maybe?

His eyes go wide as he took in the scene.

Goddamnit Geoff… Jack thought to himself, watching as his brother had all three of the littler kids piled on him, all of them on the couch. Ryan was in the recliner, doing some homework.

Michael and Ray were eating bowls of cereal, both in their sleeping PJ’s, Gavin eating some buttered toast and jam, already dressed for the day. While Ray and Michael were leaning on each side of Geoff, Gavin was sitting in his lap.

Geoff smiled at Gavin. “No problem little man, you just tell me whenever you need anything, ok? I had no idea you hated cereal! I gotta know these things, ok? Speak up some!” he says, rubbing Gavin’s head.

“Ok… Dad.” Gavin says, smiling wide. He was clearly getting over any anxiety around Geoff, now basking in the fatherly perfection that was Geoff Ramsey.

Shit.

Geoff waved at Jack. “Hey Jackie! I got the kids up this morning for ya, you wanna take Ryan out today and get his friends? I’ll do laundry and stuff.” he says, smiling, not a single care in the world.

Not missing a beat, changing his distraught expression immediately, Jack nods his head. “Yeah! No problem, sleepover tonight, we’ve gotta make sure you guys are stocked up, or we’ll have nothing in that fridge come tomorrow!” he says in his usually cheerful demeanor. Ryan did stuff with his friends almost every weekend, and they swapped houses every week. It was their turn again.

Ryan nodded his head. “Thanks Jack! Let me finish my math and I’ll go get ready!” he says.

Jack. Not… Dad? Of course not. Geoff was dad. Geoff was ALWAYS dad.

His heart plummeted, but he walked into the kitchen, trying to shake it off.

“Dad, what’s a sleepover?” Gavin asks, looking up at Geoff, still chewing his food.

Geoff scratches his head, yawning loudly. “It’s where you have your friends come sleep over at your own house. You play games, talk and just have fun. Ryan’s friends Miles and Kerry are coming over for one tonight!” he says, pointing at Ryan.

Ryan smiled, but his attention still fully on his schoolwork. “It’s real fun Gavin! You’ll have to come and play with us some, they’d love it! Well… Kerry will love it.” He says, snorting at the end.

Gavin sits there thinking, and Ray perks his head up. “Hey Dad, can we invite Dan for a sleepover?! He’s like our best friend ever!! We need Adam!” he says, Jack noticing he was incredibly more chipper than usual.

Jack noticed that about Ray, but he couldn’t quite place it. For some reason, Ray seemed to focus more on other people, never wanting or asking for anything himself. Though lately… well, he seemed to be pre-occupied with something, not nearly as tense.

Michael got a curious look on his face. “Why not Courtney? You and her-“

“SHHHH Michael. You dumb bear.” Ray says, blushing a bit.

Michel pouts. “I’m not a dumb bear, I’m Mogar!” he says, folding his arms.

Geoff snickers. “Who’s Mogar?” he asks with a slight snark in his tone.

Gavin smiles. “We play pretend RWBY at school! I’m Prince Weight, Michael’s Mogar my knight, Ray is Junior, Dan is Adam, Lindsay is Ruby, and Courtney plays Yang!” he says excitedly.

Jack can’t help but interject. “So… You guys play RWBY at school? Why’s Michael not one of the characters? I don’t remember a Mogar…” he asks, taking his mug from the kitchen, and sitting down with the rest of his family.

Michael maintains his folded arms. “Cuz RWBY is stupid. Prince Weight don’t got no friends, so I MADE one. I’m his furry knight.”

Ray rolls his eyes. “He’s a bear!”

Michael scrunches his eyes. “NO I’M MOGAR!”

Everyone laughs, Geoff slapping his jeans. “Hey, why NOT invite Dan over. That’s Kara’s kid, right? We’ve got company anyway; we’ll just get a little more food! That ok Jack?” he asks, all the little ones getting excited looks on their faces, all turning to Jack in anticipation.

Jack internally cringes. Of course… Of course Geoff would think that first. With all the game talk, he completely forgot Ray’s earlier request, ignoring him completely. He was so stupid.. Geoff wouldn’t have missed that at all.

He nodded his head. “Of course! I’ll give Kara a ring!” he says, standing up, and walking slowly towards the phone.

“YAY!!!!” the three little ones said in unison.

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
It was the late afternoon in Kara’s apartment, and Dan nervously picked up his bag full of clothes and few toys, his mommy Kara in her casual clothes. “Ready Dan? I bet Gavin’s been waiting all day!” she says, smiling.

Kara was still Dan’s primary caretaker, until he moved out that coming Monday into the new HomeHunters. She’d kept it from him, hoping to wait until she knew who the final parents would be. If there was a big problem, she’d help him transition easier. Though she wasn’t worried, she knew exactly who was going to get picked, and they were going to be lovely.

Dan nods his head, but doesn’t look very excited.

“Dan? You ok there buddy?” she asks, bending down on his level, noticing he seems really nervous.

His face drops. “Umm… Are Gavin’s daddies nice? I… I’m a little scared…” he says, Kara smiling.

“Dan, I’ve known Gavin’s dads for a long time now, and I PROMISE you they are wonderful people. They’ll take care of you, and I bet you’re going to have a BLAST sleeping over! Geoff is always a fun guy, and Jack knows EVERYTHING.” she says, trying her best to sound chipper. He would have fun, but she didn’t blame him for being nervous. Dan has transitioned easily into his new life, but still… He was a VERY nervous individual, having little to no coping mechanisms, always afraid of people. ESPECIALLY people he didn’t know.

Dan shook his head. “I… I don’t wanna go…” he says now, looking visibly upset.

Kara’s face shattered. “Dan, it’s ok buddy. I prom-“

“NO! I don’t wanna go! DON’T WANNA GO! I WANNA STAY HERE!” he says, having a miniature breakdown, Kara picking him and attempting to comfort him as best she could.

“Shhhhhh, Dan, it’s ok… You don’t have to go alone… Would it make you feel better if I stayed with you until you got to know them? I just want you to have fun Dan, and you talk about Gavin and Ray and Michael all the time!” she says, patting him on the head.

Dan’s crying just a little bit, sniffing. “Please… Come…” he says, Kara nodding her head.

“I’m sure the boys won’t mind one more joining them.” She says, smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack pulled up to Miles’s house, Kerry and Miles both waiting outside, rushing quickly to their van, and Ryan opening the door for them. Mrs. Luna waves them off, with a handkerchief of all things, giving Miles an air kiss. Geoff was right, that woman was priceless.

“Awww.. Where’s Mr. Ramsey? He gets the best stuff!” Miles says, grabbing the backseat behind Jack, him watching as the punk rolls his eyes irritatingly.

Gee… Hide your horror some more, why don’t you?

“Oh come on Miles, Mr. Patillo is Ryan’s dad too! Besides, maybe your mom wont’ flip out for once since he drove?!” Kerry says snarkily, Miles punching him on the shoulder in response.

Ryan turns his head backwards. “Am I already going to have to separate you two?”

Jack puts the van into drive, and begins moving onto the road once more, heading towards the supermarket. “Ok boys, whatcha want tonight? Pizza? Movies? I’d skip the games tonight, the little ones are having a friend over, and we’re going to let them have the living room.”

Miles lets out an audible groan. “I wanted to do Halo tonight…”

Jack gives him a glance in the rearview mirror. “You know your mom doesn’t let you play that anyway.” He says, Miles groaning even louder.

“Oh come on Mr. Patillo, my mom’s stupid, who needs her anyway…” He says annoyingly, both Jack and Ryan cringing at those words.

Kerry punches him. “DUDE.”

Miles gives him a shocked look. “WHAT?! She’s psycho bitch!” he says, clearly frustrated.

Jack doesn’t relent, but now clearly irritated. “Whether you choose to disrespect your mother or her wishes is beyond me to control, but I expect you to understand that I and Geoff will respect her wishes while you’re in our care. Ok?” he says calmly, and in a casual tone, not wanting to create confrontation.

Miles folds his arms, looking out the window. “Whatever…”

There’s a solid tension for a few minutes, which Ryan chooses to break. “So, Bagel Bites?”

Kerry picks up on it, and helps his friend out. “Yeah!”

Miles reluctantly nods.

Jack internally sighs, slinking back into his seat, not attempting to even remotely touch Miles’s attitude with a ten foot pole.

I’m sure Geoff would know how to handle that brat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kara walks in the door, Dan in hand. She was thrilled to see the boys getting along so well. Dan needed friends as much as they did.

Geoff nearly falls down, three excited little boys pulling Dan into the home immediately, them all mumbling about game they were going to play.

“OH! Michael!” Kara says, pulling on his shirt lightly, not letting him move. He turns around and looks up at her with an irritated expression. “WHAT? We’re gonna go play!” he says angrily, Kara chuckling. Dan was right. He was an angry little guy.

Putting her other hand into her purse, she fishes out a little knitted hat for him. “Here! A little present for you!” she says, him taking it, his mouth gaping open. “Is that…”

Kara nodded. “Yep! I hope you like it!” she says, him throwing the little beanie hat on his head, his curls puffed out of them slightly.

Geoff takes notice that it’s a dark brown hat, with little bitty ears poking out of the sides, and set of blue eyes on the front end. Oh, it was that bear game Michael liked so much. Banjo Kazooie!

“THANK YOU KARA!” he says, running off to his friends to show it off.

“Did you make that Kara? I had no idea you were so talented with needlework!” Geoff says, genuinely surprised.

Kara snorts, chuckling at his statement. “Oh heavens no, do I look like I know how to sew? Joel made that. He knew I was coming down, so I told him I’d deliver it. He gave Lindsay one too, she’s got the bird or something, I dunno the whole story.” she says, watching as the boys immediately already play-fighting with imaginary weapons, making loud sound effects.

“So… How’s he doing?” Geoff says, shutting the door, noticing that there are two bags in her possession.

She nervously laughs. “Weeeeeelllll…. He nearly had a breakdown when he realized he’d have to be around you two all night, having never met you before, AND was about to not come until I promised I’d stay as well.”

Geoff gives her a concerned look. “Seriously? Does that happen often? That’s… Kind of a big deal.”

She nods her head. “I pay my babysitter Caleb a huge tip to deal with his half hour sob fest every time they’re together at first. Oh, and the first day of school was terrifying. Carter met us for lunch on three different occasions, and Dan got to know him before going to school, so he was ok. We came in late so he wouldn’t have to see the other parents, and Carter stuck close to him all morning until your little Gavin started clinging to him. Thank god for Gavin and your boys, Geoff… I wasn’t sure how he was going to take school, but he LOVES it.”

Geoff and Kara take a seat in the kitchen, away from the children, sitting across from each other on the table. “So what’s causing all this?” he asks, prodding.

Kara sighed, shaking her head. “Because I’m a failure.”

Geoff gets a solemn expression. “What? How? You’re as good as anyone!” he says quickly, Kara shaking her head.

“No Geoff… I ruined him. I got him out of that nightmare, promised him that I’d make everything better, and swore on my heart to protect him. I think… I think he believes that I’m the only adult that makes his life good, and… If I’m not there…” she says, cutting herself off, Geoff taking her hands.

“Hey. Listen. It’s ok Kara, calm down a bit. Everything is going to be fine.” Geoff says, pointing at the boys playing.

She turns her gaze, seeing Michael block fake attacks from both Dan and Ray, a little Gavin cheering on Michael.

“Oh come on! Mogar can’t beat both Adam AND Junior! I’ve got Rockets!” Ray says, letting out several whooshing noises.

Gavin nodded his head. “He can when Prince Weight blocks it with magic! WOOOSH!” he says, putting his palm out and drawing an imaginary circle in the air.”

Dan starts acting like he’s shooting a gun. “Boom! Gunsword! Or what that guy has!” he says, Gavin stomping his foot. “His name is ADAM!” he says huffily, Dan nodding. “Ok! Sorry!”

They all looked really happy, and Kara couldn’t help but smile.

“See? There’s still some light in all of them. Just give them time. Mending the brokenhearted takes time.” He says, smiling.

Kara looks at him irritatingly. “You say that WAY too much, you know that? You need that engraved or some shit.”

Geoff doesn’t change his expression. “It’s true though… Learned it the hard way…” he says, his face looking oddly reminiscent.

~~~~~~~

Ryan’s room had finally gotten some color into it, and actually started looking like a preteen boy’s room. It had personality, and he loved it. Dad and Jack had gotten some more money apparently, and let him pick out some stuff. He hadn’t wanted much, to be honest. His room he got when he first moved in was enough, and definitely didn’t want to make them spend too much on him.

He did, however, ask for a new desk. “Uncle” Burnie had sent him a laptop, and he wanted it to be somewhere safe. They attached some IKEA desk to his wall, right next to his bed, adding some hanging black box shelves above it for his school books, DVDs and games. It was immaculate, him not wanting anyone to touch or put anything on it. Miles had been expressly forbidden to touch anything on it.

Even better? Jack had framed and hung his autographed Dead Fantasy, RWBY and Texas Longhorn posters above his bed. They were cool, and he didn’t even ask for that, he just… Did. Jack was cool like that.

“So Ryan, I have a very serious question to ask you…” Miles says, pushing another Bagel Bite into his mouth, choking down the ninth one in only a few minutes.

Kerry rolled his eyes. “Oh boy, this should be good.” He mutters, lying down on his back, preparing himself for the stupid.

Ryan braced himself, knowing the kind of stuff that came out of Miles’s mouth. “Ok….. I’m scared, especially since you’re in such a foul mood already but….. what?” he asks.

Miles looked Ryan dead in the eyes, sitting native-american style, with a fierce determination. “Why do you call Mr. Ramsey “Dad”, but call your other dad “Jack”. I mean, if I called my Dad by his first name, he’d deck me one.” He says, Ryan relieved. It had been a pretty tame question.

Kerry shot up. “Yeah. I mean, you call them your dads at school, but you called him Jack all day!”

Ryan laughed. “Oh, that? Well, Jack’s really cool and said I could call him what I wanted, and Jack was just… Easier I think? I mean.. Geoff is more like my dad I guess, which is why I call him that. He was there for me when shit was really bad over summer, and we connect easier. But Jack’s freaking awesome too. He does ALL our shit for us. He does the cooking, laundry, makes sure we’re ok every night before bed, and takes care of little Gavin so much…” Ryan says frowning a bit.

Kerry gets a concerned look on his face. “Is something wrong with Gavin?”

Ryan shakes his head. “Nah, he just was REALLY shy or something. His parents were fucked up (Kerry cringes) and treated him bad, you know the score… Actually, when he first got here, he only talked with Michael and Jack for the longest time, and he’s just now really getting to know us all and have conversations again. But… he took ALL of Jack’s time and energy on top of all the other stuff he did. Jack’s too cool to complain, but Dad said that’s why he asked him to take us shopping today since Gavin’s ok with dad now. He needs a break! He works too hard!” Ryan says smiling proudly.

Miles is still confused though. “So then… If Jack does all that shit, why don’t you call him dad too? You seem to really like him.”

Ryan chuckles. “He’s too awesome to be just a dad!”

~~~~~~~

With Ryan taken care of, Miles and Kerry safely in his room eating them out of house and home, his fatherly duties were “done” for the day apparently, Geoff and Kara tending to the little ones and Dan, telling him to take five.

He didn’t want to take five. Fuck that. Jack wanted to be the “fun” dad for once. Hell, even Ryan’s friends knew he was the loser in this house.

Awww.. Where’s Mr. Ramsey?

Oh come on Miles, Mr. Patillo is Ryan’s dad too!

He rubbed his arms again, almost on instinct.

Jack hadn’t felt this bad in a long time. It was high school all over again, and he couldn’t stand it. Even worse, he couldn’t stand how he couldn’t stand it.

He thought he was over this…

It was jealousy, pure and simple. He’d always be, in some way or form, jealous of Geoff, the big brother… He LOVED Geoff to pieces and would always love him as a brother. He was brave, he did whatever the fuck he wanted in life. Geoff was so outgoing and courageous, the polar opposite of Jack. As a kid, he beat the snot out of anyone that made him or Jack feel bad. As a pre-teen, he single-handed saved them from a miserable childhood. Once a teenager, he didn’t think twice about leaving behind everything and everyone, doing life his own way. Once that shitstorm passed, and fresh off the streets and nothing short of a complete mess, he went to college and put his ass in gear, getting his life on track. Professors and recruiters fucking loved him; he was a walking embodiment of perseverance. The best part? When being a social worker was too heart-wrenching and not cutting it for “his” kids, he MADE A FUCKING COMPANY.

Nothing fazed him. He did and said what he wanted. He was out in the sun, living life.

Jack? Well… No. So much no.

Jack knew he was a coward, just sitting in the bleachers, watching as Geoff ran laps around everything, and had long since given up keeping pace. As a kid, he let Geoff take all the beatings and do all the scavenging for food or supplies in their first home. Jack just sat there, too scared to move. As a pre-teen, he kept his nose in books and let people bully him, it was easier that way. Geoff would swoop in if it got bad. Teenage years were the worst though… Emotionally unbalanced to begin with, hormones did not help the situation in any way.

He began rubbing his arms again, harder now, his nails slightly digging into his hairy skin.

No Jack.. You can’t… Don’t even go there…

It came as no surprise when people say he’s good with emotional children, and why he loved Gavin so much. Gavin… He was him. Plain as day, and he felt like he finally had someone he could have really helped. But… Not anymore..

A tear rolled down Jack’s face, the man crumbling his head onto his hands.

Again… Here we go a-fucking-gain…

~

_Jack was sitting inside of his room in the orphanage, alone again. Moldy smelling hardwood floors, rotting wood desks and furniture, and two beds with plain sheets, a handful of schoolbooks littering his, Geoff’s disgusting clothes all over his side of the room._

_Usually he shared it with Geoff, but his brother was out again, probably doing something horrendously illegal, but incredibly fun. Or he was with Griffy. Of course Griffy chose Geoff, it made sense. Those two were soulmates, both fighting against the system that damned them from day one._

_His heart pains for a moment, and he knows what he wants to do…_

_Standing up, he removes his checkered shirt, revealing his bare and slightly fuzzed body. The chest was littered with cuts, some fresh, tender and healing, others now scars. His arms were the worst, littered with hundreds of little scratches, though he never cut them deeply enough to scar, knowing he’d have to go sleeveless at some point in the Texas heat._

_Jack looked at himself in the mirror. He was disgusting, but… It felt good. The release of pain made him forget everything. Forget not knowing his parents, forget what a failure in life he was going to be, and forgetting… Forgetting the life he wasn’t living._

_He pulls a drawer out of a nearby table, grabbing a book. Walk Two Moons, one of the first things he ever read that made him forget about everything. At first, reading was enough. Escaping the real world and into your own world of creation was wonderful. He forgot. Then… It wasn’t enough._

_Cracking the book, a sharpened metallic ruler with frayed edges is seen between the pages. It wasn’t a knife or a razor. Finding that kind of shit gets you kicked out of the orphanage, no questions asked. He needed them for a few more years, until he graduated, and wasn’t about to risk it._

_Still… He needed something…The edges of the metal ruler were sharp, sharp enough for his arms anyway. He just needed… Just a few tonight. He could wait for the rest tomorrow, when he snuck into the art room to meet with Griffy. They had the good stuff there._

_He brings the tip of it to a tender part of his flesh and slowly scrapes it across his skin. It lightly tears the skin, creating a tiny little line from his left shoulder to elbow, already speckled with blood. Nothing deep… Not yet anyway… If he wanted, he could go deep. But… No.. Not the arms._

_The door to his room swings open, keys jingling in the knob, a body entering the room._

_“I swear, that man would leave his lighter any….” Says a female voice, Jack jumping immediately, swinging around, and exposing his upper body to the girl._

_“Gr…Griffy… What are you…” he asks, tossing the ruler to the floor, grabbing his shirt and attempting to obscure her view. Too late, though. She’d seen it all, if her face was any indication._

_She SLAMS the door as hard as she can, locks it behind her, and rushes over to Jack, grabbing the shirt and tearing it away from him. Griffon looks him over, shaking her head angrily for a few moments, looking him over. Her eyes now turn to meet his._

_She says nothing, and just embraces the man as tightly as she could, putting her head on his chest, crying._

_“I’m here for you Jack. You tell Griffy everything, ok? I…. I just… I want to help you, any way I can…. Please.” She says, now blubbering, her tears falling down his scar-ridden chest._

_Jack hesitates a moment, not sure what to do with his arms, them eventually placed awkwardly on Griffon’s shoulders._

_“I…” Jack stutters._

~

There is a quick knock at Jack’s door, and it swings open, in a very similar fashion to an old friend he once knew.

“Daddy!” Gavin screams, rushing through the door, a small boy in hand with him. Gavin was grinning from ear to ear. The boy was a little taller than Gavin, but had dark brown hair. Must have been Dan.

Jack shakes his face off, putting on his best smile. “Hey Gavin, I haven’t seen you all day! Who’s this guy?” he says, seeing Gavin’s excited face.

“Daddy, this is Dan! He’s my friend at school! Did you know his friend Kara!? Dad said you guys worked with her!” he says excitedly.

Dad, huh? Was that Geoff’s name now?

Jack nodded his head. “Yeah! I knew Kara for a long time! You’ve got a good one Dan!” he says, winking, Dan nodding his head. The kid looked incredibly nervous for some reason, not even looking at Jack in any capacity.

Gavin lets go of Dan’s hand, and rushes up to Jack, now pulling on his. “Daddy, I know you’re resting today, but can Dan and I have the RWBY book? He’s never seen it before, and I want to show him who Adam is!” he asks playfully.

Jack smiles, standing up and moving over to his stacked bookcase, grabbing the now overused book from his top shelf, and looking at the leather cover, feeling it in his hands, frowning. It’d been such a long time since he and Gavin first started reading together.

“Daddy?” Gavin asks, a tad impatiently

Jack turns around, smiling, and hands the book to Gavin. “Gavin, why don’t you just hold on to this one, since you read it all the time anyway. You can keep it in your room, just take REALLY good care of it, ok?” he says Gavin’s face lighting up. “Thanks Daddy! Come on Dan, I’ll show you Adam, Dad can read us about him, and then you can see Weiss, but she’s a girl, and I actually-“ Gavin says, his voice slowly trailing off as they rush back into the living room to their friends.

He couldn’t help but be sad and happy. Jack was sad because he’d lost his only kid, another one gone to Geoff, his only chance at having another “Patillo”. But then again… He was happy too. Gavin was talking, open, and on his way to being well again.

Jack… Jack had done his job.

~~~~~~~

There’s a knock at the door, and it gains the attention of the adults in the room, the children now playing a board game, Michael roaring incredibly loud as he landed on an unfortunate space.

Kara turns to Geoff. “Who on earth would be here at this hour?” she asks.

Geoff shrugs. “Maybe Mrs. Luna, she said she might pop in later before Miles went to bed, just to check up on him.” He says, standing up and walking slowly towards the door. The boys all watch as he opens it up.

“Excuse me, but is there a Daniel Gruchy here? I…” the man peeks his head inside the room. Geoff notices that the man reeks of alcohol, and seemed weirdly spaced out.

“There he is… MARIANNA, I FOUND HIM!” he screams, a woman popping out of the bushes, just as spaced out as the man was.

She is wobbly, slurring her words. “Oh lovely, I hoped it was that bitch’s car. Ok, sir, hand over our child please.” She says, her head wobbling around everywhere.

Geoff is visibly confused and attempts to shut the door, the man pushing it back open. He was strong.

Kara moves into vision, having heard the commotion and after seeing who they are, her cheery attitude melting immediately. “Mr. and Mrs. Gruchy, there is an active restraining order between you and your son for your outbursts in court, and he will remain in my care until the State finds you to be fit parents, which I can plainly see now isn’t going to happy anytime soon. I suggest you leave now before I call the authorities.” She says authoritatively, standing her ground, speaking fiercely.

The man growls. “Like bloody hell you are! No, we’re taking Daniel and going back ho-.”

“Father?” Dan says quietly, Geoff gazing back, seeing the boy’s blank face destroyed.

“DANIEL! FATHER IS HERE! LET’S GO HOME!” he says drunkenly, trying to muscle his way in, Geoff using the door as leverage to keep him out, but his upper body had managed to find its way in.

This angers the man, his expression turning dark quickly. “YOU GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!” he says, slamming his fist directly into Geoff’s face, square on the nose, him recoiling, but holding onto the door for dear life.

“AHHH!” Kara lets out sharply, Jack rushing from the hallway quickly and taking in the situation, moving immediately to help his brother.

Geoff feels the blood running down his nose, tasting a bit of copper on his tounge, the rest of it going onto the floor.

“DAD!?” Ryan screams, Geoff turning his face again, seeing his son and his friends frightened at the state of his bloodied face.

Geoff pushes the door HARD with Jack, the man’s body getting crushed between the door and its frame.

“I’M FINE RYAN, CALL THE COPS NOW! MILES, KERRY GET IN A ROOM AND STAY THERE. KARA, GET THE KIDS IN MY BEDROOM AND LOCK THE DOOR!” Geoff yells calmly, confident that the Grutchys can’t get back into the home again.

~~~~~~~

Michael watched as Daddy was fighting Dan’s Daddy with a door. His daddy would win, Dan’s was a wimp! He grinned, and couldn’t wait to brag about i-

“YOU GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!” he says, slamming his fist directly into Geoff’s face, square on the nose, him recoiling, but holding onto the door for dear life.

“AHHH!” Kara lets out sharply, Jack rushing over from the couch and taking in the situation, moving quickly to help his brother.

Daddy turned his face, and was telling them all something, but Michael didn’t hear any of it. He was too busy staring at his nose, and the red stuff flowing out of it.

Blood…

Michael stared at it, suddenly having a hard time breathing…

“D… Daddy…” he manages to stutter.

~

_Daddy was running towards Michael, carrying a big knife from the kitchen, raising it up high in the air. Michael fell backwards, his face watching as his daddy came at him in slow motion._

_“I love you Michael…” his mother says calmly, her body slowly moving between him and his father, unable to see her face, but her red hair swaying in the breeze._

_He sees it. The big knife, it going in Mommy’s body. Once… Twice… Three times… As it plunged in, his daddy pulls it back out immediately, his face looking really sad. His mother turns around, staggering a bit from the impact, and faces Michael._

_She’s not smiling like she usually did. Not like when she rocked Michael, or when she played airplane… She… She’s frowning…_

_Mommy stops talking, and falls to the floor, her body on top of Michael, face up._

_The red stuff came out slowly, but in a steady trickle._

_There’s a visible sob, and Michael turns his head up, watching his daddy put his gun up to his head, right in front of Michael. “I damned you… Forever…” his daddy says, crying like mommy did a lot…_

_BANG_

_Michael looks up, seeing his daddy’s head gone, splayed out all over the floor in a gooey mess, some of it splattering on his Mommy and Michael. Daddy collapsed on Mommy, trapping Michael under their combined weight, the man’s remains falling on his mommy’s legs._

_The steady trickle was now a small pool. It covered Michael’s shirt, and he tried pushing his mommy awake._

_“M..Mommy?” he stutters, pushing her as hard as he could, the blood now covering his hands and on his pants._

_She doesn’t answer him. But… Mommy’s just sleeping… She… She’s just sleeping…_

~

Michael can’t stop staring at his Daddy’s nose. It’s still flowing…

Daddy…

Michael doesn’t move, falling backwards and barely feels as Kara picks him up.

~~~~~~~

“THOSE AMERICAN FOSTER ASSHOLES WILL RAPE YOU DAN! THEY’LL KILL YOU AFTERWARDS! THEY’RE NOT YOUR FRIENDS! THEY’LL HURT YOU AND MAKE YOU GO AWAY FOREVER!! GET THE FUCK OVER HERE! NOW!!!” his father screams, trying desperately to break through the door again, Mr. Ramsey slamming the door on his hand as hard as he could, Mr. Patillo pushing into the door as well.

Dan just stood there shaking. He… He didn’t know what to do… Was… That… True? Why would his father lie? But… His father didn’t feed him like Kara did. He didn’t read him stories like Mr. Ramsey did. He… He wasn’t nice like Gavin was…

He was scared… He didn’t know what to do…

Mr. Ramsey’s nose was bleeding heavily, blood spotting all over the carpet but he and Mr. Patillo were keeping the front door tightly shut. Ryan and his friends were calling the policemen, and Kara was rushing to his side, having heard the commotion.

They.. They were saving him…

“DANIEL!!!!! COME TO MOMMY!!!! NOW! WE’LL RUN AWAY AND BE A FAMILY AGAIN!!!! WE LOVE YOU DANIEL!!!! DON’T LET THESE BAD PEOPLE TAKE YOU AWAY!” she shrieks wildly from the front door, her face in a drugged and dazed expression of pure desperation, trying her hardest to get through the door, clawing at Gavin’s dads underneath his father’s, a few scratches on their legs bleeding already.

Kara picks up an immobile Michael, the boy having fallen backwards on the floor, not moving or saying anything since the incident started.

“Dan, let’s go into Mr. Ramsey’s room, ok?!” she says frantically, reaching for his hand.

Dan freezes, watching as his father’s hand rips through the door again, trying to grab Mr. Ramsey’s hair.

Someone beats Kara to his hand.

“Come on! Kara and Dad said to go!” he hears a voice say. Gavin? He thinks weakly, his eyes refocusing, seeing Gavin’s hand dragging him into the hallway, walking very calmly, but quickly.

“DANIEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” he hears his mommy yell again, and he… He wants to go hug her again…. He missed his mommy, but… She was really… She was really the scary one…

They all rush into Mr. Ramsey’s room, and Ray locks the door behind them all, Gavin taking Dan and escorting him on the bed.

“It’s ok Dan, they won’t hurt you, and Mr. Ramsey is just fine. Noses bleed a lot if they get punched.” Kara says, putting Michael down on the bed to lay down, and then hugging Dan, joining him on the bed. Gavin rushes up to him. “Dan, are you ok? That… that was really scary…” he asks, looking really worried for his friend.

Dan doesn’t say anything. He just sits there and lets Kara hold him. “Thank you Gavin.. I’m… I’m a big baby…I’m… I’m sorry” Dan says, pouting.

~

A baby?! Dan’s not a baby! Gavin thinks.

Gavin takes Dan’s hand. “Dan, it’s ok. You can be scared! I was scared too. I was scared when bruv went away… I was scared when mum and dad went away. Back when I met Michael and Daddy Jack. But Michael made it all better, and then I got to be friends with Michael, Ray, Geoff and Daddy Jack!”

Gavin turns to Michael. “Michael, can you make everything better for Dan too?”

His brother is still a little shaky. “Michael?” Gavin asks again quizzically, Michael shaking his head and turning back to Gavin, returning to the world of the living.

“You need me to do something Gavin?” Michael asks painfully, his expression still in agony.

Gavin nods his head. “Can you make Dan feel safe like you did with me? His daddy scared him a little bit.” He says, Michael thinking hard.

Kara smiles, as blue lights start flashing outside Geoff’s window, letting out a big sigh of relief. “Boys, stay here, I’m going to make sure your dads are ok. Keep the door locked Ray!” she says, Ray saluting her as she walked out.

Dan shook his head. “It…It’s ok, you don’t have to-“

Michael gets up and walks into Dad’s closet, throwing out a bunch of weird stuff. “HERE IT IS!” he says, hiding something behind his back. “I’ll make Dan feel REAL safe.” He says, his face incredibly determined, angry and… Scary..

~~~~~~

Michael strolled through the front yard casually, having gone out the back door. Nobody was really looking at him, worrying more about Dan’s mommy and daddy. He’d snuck out, remembering how Barbie once told him he was like a ninja when he snuck out with her the first time. Cool.

Walking up to a police car, he sees that bad man from earlier standing beside it, a policeman next to him, holding him in place.

“Scuze me, are you Dan’s Daddy?” Michael asks, asking the cuffed man on the front yard.

“MICHAEL!” Geoff screams nasally with tissues still in his nose to contain the blood, running towards him from the front door. The policewoman holding Dan’s daddy grips him harder. “Kid, you need to go back inside, right now.” she says, in a worried tone of voice.

Dan’s daddy smirks. “What of it pint-size?!” he asks harshly and with a slurred and scary tone, the boy not being deterred at all.

“Well, you see… I’m Mogar, and you’re a butt face bad guy that hit Daddy, and Gabbin and Dan says needs beaten up! RRRRWWWWWAAAAR” he says screaming the last bit as ferociously as a five year old can, taking the plastic baseball bat he’d grabbed from Daddy’s room and swings it as hard as he can. He hits his main target, the owie place, impacting the man squarely on crotch. He strikes the man with the plastic bat repeatedly, the officer holding him in place, unable to move his hands, attempting to wrestle away from the officer. The man groans in pain with each swing.

“Okkkk Mogar, that’s enough.” A different policeman getting out of the car says, picking him up, Michael getting one last swing on him before getting pulled away.

“BUTTFACE! YOU LEAVE MY DADDY AND DAN ALONE! OR I’LL BEAT YOU UP AGAIN! I PROMISED GABBIN!” he screams sticking his tongue out at the man and giving him a raspberry. Michael adjusts himself on the policeman’s shoulder, now facing back towards Daddy, who walked up to him.

Daddy has a weird look on his face, and he looks real surprised, and he’s not even moving anymore. Michael notices all the blood stuff is gone. Good… The policeman hands Michael to Geoff, and Michael throws the bat on the grass of the front yard. “I know. I’ll get punished.” Michael says, giving a huffy breath.

He notices his daddy’s face isn’t moving and he looked a little pale, looking sad..

“Uh… You ok daddy?” Michael asks, poking him on the cheeks a bit.

~~~~~~~

Dan and Gavin are holding hands, waiting for Michael to get back. They didn’t know what he was doing with the T-Ball bat, but they’d find out later.

Dan clenches Gavin’s hand tightly, tears welling up in his eyes. “Th… Thank you Gavin… You… Michael… And your daddies… You protected me…Like Kara did…” he says painfully.

Dan feels Kara’s hand on his shoulder. “They sure did Dan! You were real brave too! I’m glad you didn’t run to them or anything, especially when they yelled at you with those mean words! We’re here to take care of you now, and I’m glad you trust us and Gavin’s dads. We’re all here to make you feel best.” She says, plopping down on his level.

Dan shook his head. “No I wasn’t brave!! I was a big baby! I just stood there! I was scared!” he says, wiping the tears from his eyes and turning back to Gavin. “Gavin! I promise I’ll protect you forever and ever like you did me, ok?! You and Michael both! EVERYONE! I won’t be scared no more!” he says with fierce determination, a light burning in his eyes.

Gavin smiles. “Thank you Dan!” he says, hugging his friend as tightly as he could, Kara joining them as well.

“I feel safer already you little cuties!!” Kara says, picking both the boys up and spinning them around, both of them protesting quickly, but Ray cheering them on, spinning his hands in a similar motion.

~~~~~~

Michael is sitting up in bed, unable to sleep. Daddy didn’t make him sit in time out, and just made him go to bed early. Which was worse, cuz he wanted to play with Dan, Ray and Gavin more.

The door slowly creaked open, and his Daddy is standing there. “Michael? I’m sure you’re awake, and… Can we have a talk?” he asks, flipping on the light.

He nods his head. “Yes Daddy.” He says reluctantly.

Geoff sits down on the bed, and lies down next to Michael. “Listen kiddo, I don’t want to EVER see you laying a hand on anyone like that EVER again, do you understand me? I’m glad you stuck up for your friend Dan and your brothers, but that was dangerous and he wasn’t hurting anyone anymore. Even worse, he could have hurt you if that policewoman hadn’t been holding him.” he says strictly, but not in a mean voice.

Michael got mad. “But he was a bad guy! He hit you, made you bleed and made Dan all sad! He deserved it!” he says angrily, giving Geoff a matching expression.

Daddy doesn’t change his face. “Maybe so, but you should have let the police punish him, he was already caught and wasn’t going to hurt you anymore. It’s not your place, and it makes YOU a bad guy too. Just like when you bite people.” He says calmly.

“HOW AM I A BAD GUY!?” Michael yells.

Geoff grabs Michael and sits him on top of his stomach. “Well, how did you feel when your first daddy hit you and you couldn’t stop him?” he says plainly, without any spite in his voice.

Michael frowns immediately, thinking back on painful memories, his face looking crushed.

~

Geoff puts his hands on Michael’s face.

“Listen to me Michael, and I mean every word I’m about to say. You’re not a bad guy, you are one of the most special and courageous little men I’ve ever met in my life, and the way you treat Gavin and your brothers is amazing. Joel made that hat especially for you because of how nice you are with Lindsay, and told me how much she loves playing with you at school. Mr. Reed tells me every day what a strong kid you are, making sure everyone gets turns, and nobody gets picked on. You have SO much heart and love to give; it breaks my heart when I see you hurt people, because that’s not you. Don’t you worry about your Daddy ever again, ok? Daddy Geoff can take care of himself, and a little punch to the nose isn’t going to hurt me. Well, unless I ask Ryan to hit me again… That little twerp hit a LOT harder than Dan’s dad.” He says, with a little lighter tone at the end for humor.

Michael laughs at the last part. Daddy had a bruised eye for a week after that, and it was funny. But Michael felt bad now. Did… Did people like Lindsay’s dad, Mr. Reed and Daddy really think he was nice?

Geoff gets a serious look on his face. “Do you understand? No more hurting people, got it? You break my heart when you do that, and I know you’re so much better than that.” he says sternly.

Michael still has a curious look on his face. “But… But what if someone wants to hurt Gabbin or Dan? I promised them I’d…”

Geoff shakes his head, pulling Michael down, cutting him off mid-sentence, and letting him lay down next to Geoff, looking him straight in the eyes, only inches apart.

“Michael, there are a lot more ways to be a good brother and friend than just fighting people, and I bet Dan and Gavin would love you a lot more if you were just there for them. If they’re really in trouble, be strong and get them away from the trouble! Don’t face it head on, especially if it’s dangerous like tonight! When Jackie and I were in school, I used to beat up people like you want to, and it made me, Jackie and my friend Griffy really sad. Because I got in trouble, people thought I was mean, and really… Sometimes it wasn’t even the problem. If you want to REALLY be the best brother and friend you can be to Gavin and Dan, then there is only one thing you have to do.” Geoff says, pausing a moment, letting the words sink in.

“What?” Michael asks, giving his entire attention to Geoff.

Geoff smiles. “Just talk to them. Talk every single day, and make sure they’re happy. If they’re not? Well, MAKE them happy, or find someone that can help them be happy. Your dad Jackie was real sad once, and I didn’t even know it, cuz I was too busy punching people.” He says, speaking frankly.

“Why was Jackie sad? How’d you not know, I thought you guys were brothers?” Michael asks, now having a saddened expression on his face, genuinely concerned for his other father.

Geoff gets a pained look on his face. “Jackie was lonely and didn’t have anyone to talk to. Remember? I was beating people up, getting in trouble and not talking to him. If I’d just been a good brother and been there for him to talk to.. Well… I probably would have seen it!”

Michael thinks a minute or two, and clutches Geoff’s hand.

“Ok Daddy… I… I promise… I’m… I’m sorry I made you sad..” he says painfully, looking up in his eyes again.

Geoff shakes his head. “Michael, I’m not even sad anymore. You listened to me, and I trust you. I know you’re going to be good if you say you’re going to.” He says, Michael smiling a bit.

“Can I still yell though? Cuz… I like yelling.” He asks, genuinely perplexed.

Geoff nods. “Oh yeah… I have no hopes of EVER curing you of that. It’s adorable anyway!” he says, pinching Michael’s cheeks, the boy not responding negatively in any way.

They sit there like that for a while. Michael in Geoff’s arms, him almost completely at peace with it.

“I… I thought you were leaving…like… Mommy did. ” Michael says plainly, clutching Geoff’s hand tighter, and using his other hand to touch Geoff’s nose, little bits of red tissue still in it.

Geoff kissed Michael on the forehead. “Nope. You’re stuck with me. Sorry!” he says, giving Michael a goofy grin.

Michael smiled. “C…Can you sleep in here tonight? Please?” he asks, his face turning red, both in embarrassment and feeling a tad upset.

Geoff was a little shocked. Usually, the kids went to Jack for that kind of thing.

“Sure you don’t want Jackie? I know how much you love Jackie’s stories at night!” Geoff asks, Michael nodding his head. “Jackie’s resting. And…. I love you too… You know… Your stories aren’t… That dumb..” he says refluctantly.

Geoff smiles, nodding his head, picking up Michael, ready to take him into his own room, since Michael’s bed was a tad small for him.

I wish I could connect with these kids like Jack does when he reads… I’m.. I’m so jealous of that. I’d give anything to make them relax like he does…

~~~~~~~~~~~

The police had long left the HomeHunters, and Jack took care of statements and whatnot at the station. The force were big supporters of the HH, and made sure they were well taken care of, the whole aftermath having been essentially painless. Kara would act as the intermediary with the courts, having witnessed the entire events herself, leaving the rest of them out of it. The Gruchys wouldn’t be bothering them anymore, that was for sure, and the police were already offering to pay for a home security system on both houses. Jack had obliged them, and would deal with that at a later time.

He also had the painful job of calling both Mrs. Luna and Mrs. Shawcross and letting them know of the events that transpired. He’d THANKFULLY called Elena first, who said she’d deal with Rebecca, knowing how to calm the woman down, though to expect a phone call in the morning. Not that anything really happened, aside from Geoff’s now thoroughly abused nose.

He walked into the home, sighing deeply. Kara was passed out on the couch, so he gently tip-toed around her, making his way to the bedrooms. But stopping as he heard Geoff’s voice.

“Jackie was lonely and didn’t have anyone to talk to. Remember? I was beating people up, getting in trouble and not talking to him. If I’d just been a good brother and been there for him to talk to.. Well… I probably would have seen it!” Geoff says, Jack peeking into the room slightly, watching the two of them having a man to man discussion, Michael hanging on to ever word like they were gold.

Jack stood there, listening to every one of Geoff’s words, memories flooding back. No wonder the kids liked Geoff so much, hell Jack liked Geoff, even when he hated his guts.

I’m so stupid… Geoff is a great father. I should be worried about the kids and being there for them the way I can, and not how they think about me..

Michael’s door opened more widely, and Geoff was carrying Michael out with him.

Jack gets a playful grin on his face. “Hey Mogar, did you and Daddy Geoff have a good talk? ” Jack says sternly, Michael nodding his head.

“Yes Jackie… I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I promised Daddy. I’ll be good.” He says sincerely, putting his head down in shame. Jack noticed Michael seemed unusually… Humble? For once, anyway.

Geoff smiled. “Michael’s going to sleep with me tonight Jackie. I know I tried to give you a break today, but can you tuck the other kids in and make sure Ryan’s friends don’t stay up all night?” he asks plainly, but with a hinge of whine that Geoff was famous for.

Jack rolls his eyes. “Of course Geoff. Sweet dreams you two!” he says, walking away, feeling Michael pull him on the back of his shirt.

“Jackie…” Michael says.

Jack gives him a curious look. “What is it Michael?” he asks, looking at the child’s sad eyes.

“Umm… I’m sorry you were lonely and that Daddy was a dummy and didn’t know. If you wanna play blocks, just tell me. But Gabbin says you’re HIS daddy first, so ask him too. He’d sing you a song!” He says, releasing Jack’s shirt and looking back at Geoff. “Ok, I’m done. Can we go?” Michael says, now embarrassed at his words.

Geoff obliges him, winking at Jack.

He stands there a moment or two, feeling another little hand tugging on his shirt from behind. “Jackie, can you read me a story tonight and let me sleep in your room? Dan’s a butt and sleeping with Gavin tonight and we’re lonely!” Ray says, giving him a pouty face, clutching his own little bear in his hands.

Almost immediately, he hears another voice calling for him. “Jack, you home?!” shouts Ryan’s voice, running out of his room and giving him a big smile and hug, whispering into his ear. “Hey, thanks for putting up with Miles tonight. He’s being an asshole since his dad’s coming home soon, so he doesn’t need lectures like Dad usually does or he’d been a real drag all night. So thanks for being so cool in the car, he’s not usually such a douchebag…” he says, finishing, Jack surprised at the news.

“No problem Ryan.” He says, incredibly happy he’d done something right in Ryan’s life.

Ryan waves and head back into his room, Ray now jumping up and begging Jack to pick him up, which he obliges.

“Jackie, can our sleepover be better than everyone else’s? Cuz this was my idea, and I got left out!” he says, a little whiny. Was that Ray? Really? He never got pouty like that.

Jack snorts though. “Oh you bet. Let’s build a fort of awesomeness.” He says, walking towards the living room, Ray cheering in his arms. He’d let Kara crash in his room. Poor woman was exhausted.

~

_“I… I just don’t things will ever get better Griffy… At least… At least when I hurt, I feel SOMETHING. It’s not just me sitting in this room gathering dust, doing nothing with my life, just waiting to die..” Jack says, him and Griffon on the bed together, sitting back to back, not looking at each other. It made Jack comfortable. There wasn’t any judgmental expressions to look at. He could just talk, her listen, and THEN she could be judgmental._

_Griffon took a deep breath. “Jack, I’m not even going to tray and say that I understand how you feel. We both went through similar things, but we live entirely different lives. We’re people, we experience the world differently. So, in the end… I don’t know what to say here…” she says, Jack sighing just a bit. Not that he’d expected Griffy to fix everything, but… Well, he could hope._

_“That being said, there is ONE thing I know I can do. I’m gonna get you out of the shadows and into the sun. Are you comfortable going out? Geoff and I are gonna go get take out and hang out with my friend Burnie. He’s a cool guy, I bet you two would have a lot in common.” She says, standing up._

_Jack shakes his head. “I don’t want to ruin your time. Just go on wi-“_

_“That’s not what I asked Jack. Are you comfortable going out? Just answer me that.” She says, now facing Jack, him still shirtless. She wasn’t starting at his scars though, and was looking at him directly in the eyes._

_Jack nodded his head._

_“Ok then, I hope you’ll believe me when I say that Geoff and I would NEVER in our lives feel like you’d ruin our time together. We’re hanging out with the AV kids for gods sake, this isn’t some frat party we’re crashing!” she says, giggling._

_Jack puts his shirt back on, kicking the ruler under his bed. “Ok, fine.” He says, standing up, and grabbing his wallet from his nightstand._

_Griffon puts her hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Things get better Jack. That much… I can say.” She says, removing her hand quickly, and unlocking the door, walking out without saying another word._

~

“JACKIE, THIS IS SO COOL! I HEREBY NAME THIS FORT RAY!” he calls out, crawling under the sheet fortress they’d built together in the living room, a bunch of pillows and blankets on the floor for a cushion. He’d have a hurting back the next morning, but who cared, Ray was having fun.

He plopped down next to Ray and the two cuddled next to each other, Ray tightly gripping his bear.

They sat that way for a long time, Jack almost falling asleep on his own, but jerking awake hearing Ray’s small voice.

“Jackie… Can I ask you something?” ray says, still not the tiniest bit sleepy.

Jack looked at Ray, smiling. “You can ask me ANYTHING buddy.” He says, Ray smiling in response, but his face falling at the same time.

“W..Why did mommy leave me behind?” he asks, Jack’s heart growing heavy.

What would Geo-

He shakes his head. No. He was a dad too, he’d handle this himself.

“Ray. It’s complicated. I know why she did, but I think it’s something you should know when you’re older.” He says, ray pouting.

“But… But I want to know! Just let me know, please Jackie? Just a little bit!?” he says, pleadingly.

Jack takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. “Ray… Are you sure?” he asks, Ray nodding his head up and down in a determined expression.

He sighed. “Ray. Your mother left you because she loved you VERY much. She was scared that you might get hurt if you stayed with her, and knew if you went with us? Well, you’d be safe. We weren’t lying, I promise you.”

Ray’s eyes grew wide. “S…So mommy didn’t leave me cuz I was bad or something?”

Jack chuckled, hugging Ray tightly. “Of course not! Ray, you are one of the NICEST children in the whole world, what on EARTH could you possibly have done to make anyone not like you?” he says.

The boy closed his eyes and looked as though a world of pain was lifted from his shoulders. “You promise?” he asks, peeking one eye open, just to make sure.

Jack nodded his head. “Oh yeah, I’m sure. Remember? I’m the smart dad.”

Ray smiles big, opening both eyes. “No. You’re the best dad!” he says, hugging Jack’s neck as tightly as he could, Jack almost choking in the process.

Things get better Griffy. You were right.

~~~~~~~~~~~

What nervousness that Dan had experienced earlier that day with Kara, and what scared feelings he had with his parents visiting had evaporated.

Gavin and Dan shared Gavin’s room that night, both of them sitting up late in bed, still talking from all the excitement of the night. They talked about their parents and their family, and just generally opened up to each other. They both cried a little, but it was ok. Dan would hug Gavin or Gavin would hug Dan.

Gavin talked about his brother Isaac, his brother’s boyfriend Cameron, and his mommy and daddy. Dan talked about his mommy and daddy too, but didn’t have anyone else he knew.

Eventually, Gavin decided to trust Dan, and he told him about his teddy.

“So.. Your Teddy talks to your brother in heaven?” Dan asks, Gavin nodding excitedly. “Yes! I talked to teddy every night when mommy and daddy were asleep, and asked real nice for Isaac to come home or Cameron to come see me. Cameron came to see me, just like I asked! Well, Isaac didn’t come home like I wanted, but I got my brothers Michael, Ray and Ryan, and Daddy Jackie and Dad Geoff! I got MORE! My bruv took good care of me!” he says, smiling.

Dan grinned. “That’s cool! Can I talk to your brother!?” he asks, Gavin nodding, handing over his Teddy.

He looks at the bear, and noticed the bright red bow. “Hi Isaac! My name is Dan, and I’m Gavin’s friend!” he says, the bear remaining silent to the news, looking rather stoic this evening.

Dan looked down a bit. “Umm… I know you’re doing stuff for Gavin, but… Can you get me a family like him too? It doesn’t have to be big, but… Just one that makes me happy like Gavin. Maybe a brother or something…” He says, Gavin grabbing the bear back from him, shocking Dan just a bit.

“PLEASE ISAAC! Dan’s like my best friend! I want him to be happy too, and he’s like me and everyone else!” he says, almost begging to the little bear, Dan smiling.

Gavin gets a shocked look on his face. “OH! And help Lindsay and Courtney too! Cuz they’re Ray and Michael’s friends, and they’re my brothers too! So… They’re your brothers! OK!?” he says, Dan looking a little excited.

“Does it work?” Dan asks, Gavin nodding his head. “My big brother ALWAYS took care of me. So I’m sure he’ll do SOMETHING!” he says.

They chatter on some more, but eventually Gavin and Dan lie down next to each other, each holding one of Teddy’s arms; them covered up from the cold air under the covers.

“~~~~~~~~~~

Joel and Gus are sitting late at night in the agency office. It was well past overtime at this point.

“Aaaaaand that does it, the last bullshit report I will ever have to write!” Joel says, stretching out vertically, yawning loudly in the process.

Gus sighs. “It kills me that my best people keep leaving me, especially leaving for a job with such a significant pay cut… First Geoff and Jack, then you… And…”

Joel perks his ears up. “Oh, did Barbara finally commit to being the HH parent with me?” he says, stacking his last bits of paperwork together. He was finishing up his last case reports. Starting Monday, he would be the newly employed HH Parent for Lindsay, Courtney and Daniel. The kids would get transitioned in stages, living next door to Geoff and Jack. Caiti and presumably Kara would be taking over the case reports and check-ups. Though… The day was nearing, and Barbara still hadn’t accepted…

Gus shakes his head. “I… I don’t know what’s going on in that woman’s head, to be frank.” He says, looking at Joel firmly. “I… I think she’s about to break herself.”

Joel’s face plummets. “What’s happened Gus?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-To Be Continued-

(Updated on 6/24/13)


	10. Barbara's Choice

Chapter Nine – Barbara’s Choice

 

The Austin hospital waiting room was bleached white, far too white for any reasonable person to stand.  The walls were bright, the floor was gleaming, and the lights were shining, leaving little to no traces of shadows in the entire area.     

 

Barbara sat there, her friend Kara next to her, tightly gripping her hand, both of them trying very hard not to cry.  They stood out in their deep green and blue shirts, the only color in the entire room, the couple next to them in drab black clothing.  It had been only a few hours since Mishi’s incident.  They...  They didn’t know if she’d make it.

 

Misha’s parents were already causing a massive scene, and they were trying to be strong for them, keep some speck of hope alive.

 

They were both elderly, in their late sixties with greying hair and wrinkled faces.  Their age was from having adopted Misha about two or three years ago, being her foster parents at first and then legal parents when she turned sixteen, just a few months ago.

 

The elevator across from them pings open, a man in a tattered suit and greasy brown hair walking in with a briefcase, looking around a bit.  “I’m looking for the parents of Misha Collins?” he says in a tired voice.

 

The elderly woman stood up.  “Oh…  Mr. Reel..  I suppose you hear…d….” she says choking up.

 

He nods his head reluctantly.  “I understand that you’re having the police investigate the matter.  There’s…  there’s no need for that.” He says, walking slowly into the room, and sitting down.  Barbara noticed he looked distraught, but…  what did he mean by that?

 

“Mr. Reel, she was clearly attacked!   The wounds on her-“

 

“Likely self-inflicted.” He says bluntly.

 

The room goes silent, with Barbara and Kara now exchanging glances of horror.

 

There’s a stunned silence that Mr. Reel breaks, shuffling through his briefcase loudly.  

 

“Misha and I had an agreement that I thought she understood.  Apparently, she went back on her deal, and it cost her life.  Truly a shame.” He says normally, without any remorse.  Mr. Reel begins filling out paperwork, right in front of them, sighing heavily, as though this were a nuisance to him.

 

“Why have we never heard about this before?  She was such a lovely child, she looked..  She looked so happy.” Misha’s father asks, looking terribly distraught over the news.

 

Mr. Reel rolls his eyes.  “Had I put on the paperwork about her self-harm, I would have created baggage.  Children with baggage don’t get adopted, they get stuck in state homes.  Misha would have become a slave to the system, and I didn’t want that for her.  So I kept that bit of the paperwork in a desk drawer, and didn’t mention it to potential parents. She’d get a home and get her problems under control.  We agreed.  I thought she would be fine with her new friends, but apparently I was wrong.” He says, still in that bland tone of voice, without any emotion in it at all.

 

There is another long silence, everything coming full circle, the truth hitting them all like a ton of bricks.

 

Mr. Reel gets a soft smile.  “Honestly though…  This is probably for the best.  At least she died happier than she had been before.  At least she wouldn’t-“   

 

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!” Barbara screams.  She lunges toward him, grabbing him by the neck, the older parents reeling back in fear, her young voice full of venom, her grip as tight as her hands can manage.  Violent enough that Kara tries quickly to pull Barbara away from the man, dragging her into the hallway.

 

“YOU’RE A FAILURE!  HOW COULD YOU HAVE DONE THAT?!  WHY DIDN’T YOU CARE?!  WHY!?!?!  YOU COULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR HER!  YOU JUST…  JUST.. LET HER DO THAT?!  TOLD HER TO SILENCE HERSELF?!  WHO THE HELL DOES THAT?!  YOU DIDN’T TELL ANYONE?!  WHY!?! YOU’RE A MONSTER!” Barbara continues, Kara pushing the elevator button hard, her struggling against her grip.  Misha’s parents are now reduced into crumbles of people, crying as hard as they can, Barbara having pushed them over the edge.

 

Reel turns to Barbara and gives her a bored, tired expression.  “You don’t get it…  She’d never get anywhere if I told people about her problem, nobody would have wanted her, and she would have died anyway, sad and alone.  I’d rather her be in a home, period.  Don’t you dare judge me young lady, I did all I could do.  Walk a mile in my shitty shoes, this is the world we live in.  Broken kids stay broken, you can’t fix them, it’s just naïve to think otherwise.  It really is best that she…-“

 

Barbara releases her grip from Kara fiercely, runs over to him, and slaps the man as hard as she can across the face, him closing his eyes in the process, his glasses flying across the room.

 

Her angry and tear-ridden face softly melts, looking at the face she had struck.  He doesn’t cringe, doesn’t hold his face, or even act like she’d touched him.  She breathes heavily, watching as a red mark starts forming, but...  Nothing else on the man’s face even..  Even really twitching.

 

Mr. Reel opens his eyes up.  They’re dead, just a shattered pair of green eyes, without a hint of light in them.

 

“Enjoy the life you have young woman, you don’t have any idea how blessed you are.  I’m sorry your friend died, but I doubt you would have been able to save her.  I’ve tried for a three decades now, and…  You just can’t help them all.” He says, looking up at Barbara, her face breaking.   

 

His words echo throughout the hallways.

 

“You just can’t help them all….”

 

“Can’t help them all…”

 

“Can’t help…”

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Barbara opens her eyes softly, a tear rolling down her face, the early Sunday morning light poured over her body.  She feels hot, her body weak, and she can’t move herself from her position easily.  Her head is laying on her arms, having falling asleep on her desk at home again, and countless binders cluttering it.  Another failed attempt at an all-nighter, much to her dismay.

 

Case report summaries were done.  The HH2 was finished, furnished and the kids to move in tomorrow.  Barbara was going to be a mom.  She...  She was officially ready to resign from Protective Services.  

 

Except she wasn’t.  Clover had gotten a D on one of her chemistry tests, and she was worried that maybe something was on in school.  Bullying maybe?  Little Ethan had lost a lot of weight, and she was worried that maybe something was making him develop a disorder.  Danni didn’t try out for basketball, even though it was her favorite sport.  She’d been watching them every day, calling parents, teachers, and reviewing their files in great detail.  She couldn't rest until they had their problems under control.  She...  She had to save them, or at least make sure they were fine when she left.  

 

But..

 

She couldn’t leave them.  As much as she loved the HomeHunters…  She had to help them all first…  To leave them would be cruel, even to put them in someone like Kara’s capable hands.  No…  She couldn’t leave them, not until they were all fixed.  She just…  

 

“Can’t help them…”

 

Gavin’s face runs through her head, Reel's voice echoing in her ears.

 

Watch me…

 

She begins moving her body, trying to pull herself up, but Barbara realizes she really can’t move that easily.  She’d been trying for a while now, but everything ached.  It hurt to move…

 

Trembling, she manages to hoist herself up to her feet, struggling to make her way into the hallway.  She manages to slowly force herself there, only for the motion to make her sick, now vomiting all over the carpet.

 

You're sick....

 

The realization had hit her a few days ago, but she didn't have the time to deal with a doctor.  Visiting one during her work hours would be nothing short of a waste of time for her kids, let alone if she needed time off..  

 

Realizing her state, she puts her back against the wall, and slowly slumps her way down it, closing her eyes as her bottom reaches the carpet.  

 

Get up Barbie…  ge…t….u…p…

 

Her after-sleep finally wearing off, her brain becomes well aware of her body’s current physical state.  It’s exhausted, plain and simple.  Since July, she’d probably slept less than 2 or 3 hours a night, mostly from working, but also to avoid the terrible nightmares she had on constant repeat since that summer.

 

Mishi’s death.  Her failure with Gavin.  Every one of her kids running through her mind, them  all broken and alone.

 

Still...  She had to work.  Those kids needed her.  Maybe...  Maybe she just needed a few hours of sleep.  Barbara had to go to the HomeHunters that night, go check up on her kids one last time, and..  and.....

 

And slowly, she drifted off, the fatigue taking her.

 

~~~~~~

 

Joel, Caiti, Courtney, Lindsay and Michael were sitting at a booth inside of Chuck E’ Cheese.  The establishment had a plethora of vivid colors, with animatronic characters singing a song in the distant background. It’s a (surprisingly) quiet environment for once, only about two or three other groups in the establishment with them. Probably just a typical Sunday afternoon lull.

 

Joel, sitting next to Michael, starts patting him on the back gently as the boy begins coughing, having swallowed too much, too quickly.  The boy was EAGER to get back to the games.  

“Take it easy buddy, the games aren’t going anywhere!” he says laughing, Michael taking a huge drink to wash it down.

 

Courtney, Lindsay and Caiti opposite them, laughed with Joel.  “Michael, you don’t have to eat so fast!  You’ll make your tummy hurt!” Caiti says nicely.

 

Michael gives her an irritated look, pointing to the two girls next to her wordlessly.  She turns, and notices that they’re eating just as fast as Michael was, if not faster.

 

“GIRLS!  Don’t do that!  You’ll choke or get sick!” she says, clearly shocked.

 

Joel chuckles.  “Children, we can stay as late as you ladies and gentleman want.  Don’t rush!  Caiti and I are free ALL day long.” He says, the kids letting out a sigh of relief, and slowing their pace a tad.

 

With a festive looking party hat on, Lindsay was smiling ear to ear.  There were two blandly wrapped presents in Christmas themed paper, still untouched at her side.  September 14th, her birthday, hadn’t even remotely crossed Joel’s mind until Mr. Reed brought it up to him after school.  If he had more funds or time, he would have done something nicer, and gotten her something besides a few outfits picked up by Kara.  He wasn’t one to know what little girls want, if his frogs were any indication.

 

"Zooie, open your presents already!  It’s your birthday!" Michael says, taking a long sip from his child sized soda.

 

Lindsay gives him a pouty look.  "Michael..  Can you just call me Lindsay?  I like it when you say my name." She says, looking a bit hurt.

 

Michael blushes.  "I say it wrong." He mutters angrily, folding his arms and looking away from her.

 

Joel can’t help but interfere.  "Michael, want me to teach you how to say it?" He says, Michael shying away from the man a bit, scooting farther inside the booth.

 

"Uhh...  That's ok Lindsay's dad.  You..  You don't have to..." he says bashfully.  Geoff had warned him of his...  Predicament, but the boy had been well behaved up until that point, so he decided to push his luck a bit.

 

"Can you say...  Lind?"

 

Michael nods his head, still not looking at him.

 

Continuing, he scoots over more, giving the boy a bit more space.  "Can you say...  Say?"

Michael nods again.  

 

"Well, just put them together!" Joel says, giving Lindsay a wink.

 

The boy hesitates at first, clearly embarrassed by the whole situation, as well as his speech patterns.

 

"Lind.  Say.  THERE.  Stupid." He says angrily, everyone clapping in response.  His face grows wild, eyes wide open and shocked, his glasses awkwardly falling down the bridge of his nose.  He then tries desperately to melt into the booth.

 

Courtney smiles. "See Lindsay?  I told you he'd do it!" She mentions, the girls giggling together in unison.

 

Joel raises an eyebrow, giving Michael a thumbs up.  "Old Mr. Heyman's advice my boy?  Keep up the gentleman act, it's very classy." He says winking.

 

Michael shoots under the booth quickly, running towards the games, not saying anything. The girls raced after him as well, in the same rushed fashion

 

“MICHAEL!  SAY MY NAME AGAIN!” she screams, trying to pull on his little bear beanie as she catches up to him, Courtney laughing at their interaction together.

 

"Stay close kids!" Caiti screams, the kids picking a nearby brightly colored game with a bunch of lights spinning.

 

She sighs, not taking her eyes of them. Joel noticed she's very protective of them all.

 

Caiti looked over at Joel, grinning ear to ear.  “Barbie says to speak my mind more, so I’m just going to say it.  I’m so jealous of you Joel, I can hardly stand it!” she exclaims, folding her arms and pouting, blowing her hair out of her face to bring the point home, that smile now an irritated (but funny) frown.

 

Joel looked her over, very surprised to see this side of her.  “HomeHunters?” he says knowingly, her nodding in angry agreement.

 

He laughs.  “Caiti, you do know you’re welcome to come over anytime you want, right?  I know how much you adore Courtney, and besides the fact that you’re her case agent, you’ll see here plenty!”

 

She sighs.  “It’s not the same.  I’ll be “AUNT” Caiti or some drivel… You get to be a DAD to these kids, and Barbara gets to be a MOM to these kids.  It breaks my heart Joel, I…  I…  I always wanted that…It’s why I got into this job..” she says, her expression genuinely sad, her words painful to hear.

 

Joel’s face drops a bit, seeing her crushed face.  “Caiti, you’re not even thirty yet…  There is still PLENTY of time to have kids, adoptive or otherwise.” He says, taking her by the hand, comforting her.

 

Her face drops even more.  “Like I’d ever be able to find anyone who’d put up with me…” she mumbles reluctantly, almost in self-pity, but soft enough so that nobody could have possibly heard it.

 

He gets a very puzzled expression.  He’d never seen Caiti like this before.  She was very upset about this.  

 

"Caiti, I-"

 

“AHHHH!  MICHAEL!!!!!” Lindsay shrieks, and both of the adults turn their heads IMMEDIATELY to the game station right by the table, SPEWING red tickets everywhere, not stopping anytime soon.  The game was one of those Cyclone Ticket games, where the object was to stop a light on a specific “Bonus” space.  It had one of those 99% chances of losing, but 1% changes of winning big.

 

“You did it Michael!  That’s so cool!” Courtney says, wrapping the tickets around her shoulders, helping Lindsay hold them.

 

Michael is laughing maniacally, his arms out to his sides.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  I am ticket king!” he lets out, Lindsay and Courtney still cheering wildly to his sides.

 

The boy had not only hit a “bonus” space, but also had landed on the “jackpot” on the rebound.

 

Caiti and Joel turn to each other, their faces both in pale disgust, realizing that they’d probably accumulate thousands upon thousands of tickets from that game alone.

 

“The ticket counter….” She says, looking at him in horror.

 

Joel nods.  “The ticket counter….”

 

A deep chilling fear envelops them both.  A fear that all parents must go through...

     

~~~~~~

 

The Luna household, for the first time in months, was filled with complete and utter silence.   

No colorful arguments between son and daughter, no gentle music playing from the kitchen, no friends over, nothing.  It was quiet, just as the older man expected.

 

A surprised mother had not expected her husband back for another week or two.

 

“Son, you look a scrawny to me.  Have you been working out lately?” says Mr. Luna in a no-nonsense professional tone.  

 

Miles cringes a bit.  “No sir.  I’ve...  I’ve been hanging out with Ryan a lot...” he admits sheepishly, poking at his plate with equal enthusiasm.

 

“Oh Kyle, I haven’t told you about that...  My apologies.  Little Ryan got taken away by Child Protective Services just a few weeks after you left.  You never called, so...  I didn’t know when to tell you.” his mom says quickly, hoping to change the subject.

 

Mr. Luna shifts his attention to his wife, adjusting his frameless glasses.  He was an intimidating man, to be sure.  Muscled from constant exercise regimens, he bulged from merely walking.  Looking like a tougher and older version of Miles, he was the spitting image of his son.  Kyle had been an athlete his entire life, only changing focuses in college, where he was top of his class in chemistry, earning him a posh position in nuclear plants around the United States.  Still, he was a Texan at heart, and wouldn’t bear the thought of his son growing up anywhere else.  As such, the family stayed at home while he worked and traveled across the US.  He would be gone for months at a time, sometimes even as long as a year.

 

“Oh?  What happened?” he asks in his same uninterested tone.

 

His mom shakes her head.  “I had no idea of it, but his parents were drug addicts, and he’d been taking care of them for years, trying to keep the family together...  Well, his mother overdosed and is in the ICU right now, his father in prison.  He was placed in that new HomeHunters program, and is getting taken care of by two qualified child psychologists and previous foster children themselves.  He’s been doing wonderful, and is still the same Ryan you know and love, just...   Happier!” she says, respectfully and very upbeat.  Miles was greatful for that.  His dad...  Well...  He wanted Miles to be a “man” and have friends to socialze with as he grew up, but probably wouldn’t have tolerated Ryan if he wasn’t doing well.  

 

Thanks Mom... Miles thinks gratefully.  His mom was really only cool when his dad was around.

 

“HomeHunters?  Oh, I saw that in the paper..  Glad to see someone’s trying to fix the future miscreants of the world...  Maybe Ryan won’t end up too terribly pathetic and washed up.  Be a good friend to him son, he needs someone to show him what a real man is like.  God knows he’s going to need it.” Kyle says, returning to his food, cutting another large piece of his steak.

 

The awkward silence returns, the three of them not sharing much between each other.

 

When’s he leaving again?

 

“Oh, Miles, I got distracted.  When is tryouts for basketball?  Isn’t it already September?  How could you not be getting a good workout, hasn’t practice already started?” he asks, raising his head back up, staring at his son intently.

 

Shit.

 

Miles takes a deep breath.  “Dad...  I...”

 

“I told him not to do it this year honey.  I’m worried about his grades, and Kerry’s already helping him improve so much, I thought it terrible to distract him in any way.  Baseball is in the summer, and that’s just as good, right?  No school then too!” Rebecca says, giving him a worried glance, but smiling through it.

 

“Excuse me?  Since when have your grades not been impeccable?” Kyle asks harshly, giving his son a dirty look.

 

“Oooooh sweetheart, it’s not that bad.  Just a B on a few of his first tests, you know how hard those seventh grade pre-advanced placement classes are?  I don’t even think I could have helped him on those things.  It's a miracle he scored as high as he did.  I mean..  only Ryan and Kerry did better than him, and the class has about twenty students in it!” she says excitedly, giving her son an approving smile.

 

Mom lied.  He’d made a really low D on his first math test, though not on purpose.  Algebra was hard, and the addition of more than one or two letters into his homework was nothing short of mind-boggling to him.  English wasn’t much better, having bombed his book test with a low C.  Though Kerry was helping him on that, Ryan giving him pointers on mathematics.  

 

“Oh.  Well...  I suppose you’re right to do that then.  Baseball should be fine too, I just want him to have team building experience, I don’t particularly care where it comes from.  I EXPECT you to have your grades under control by then young man, do you understand?” he asks sternly, staring him down with venomous eyes.  They meant business.

 

“Yes sir.” he replies in a mellow tone.

 

His father inhales the last portion of his meal, and stands up to move into the kitchen.  “I’m heading to the weight room.  Join me soon Miles, I’d like to see how far you’ve come for myself.” he mutters.

 

Miles looks down at his plate, having not touched much of his food.  

 

“Yes sir.” he mutters.

 

~~~~~~

 

.Kerry’s home was a tiny little place, but nowhere else he’d rather be in the entire world  Two bedrooms, one for him and his mom, both sparsely furnished, but with whatever they wanted in it.  The living room and kitchen were combined into one, with a antique dining table fit for a family of four.  The carpet was shag, and a really bright orange.  His mom liked everything to be colorful in their lives, so even their home was a fun place to be.

 

It was late, and Kerry was scribbling in a little notebook on the living room’s floral couch, yawning from his adventure the previous night.  He didn’t want to sleep too early though, otherwise he’d never want to wake up in the morning, and didn’t want to be trouble for his mom.

 

His hope shattering before him, Richard puts everything into his fist, striking his father as hard as his strength can muster.

 

He crosses out yet another line, too angry to even erase it, sighing in an irritated tone.

 

Mike sits there, watching as his mom and dad argue, and things get violent quickly!

 

Another strike, the pen nearly cutting a line through the entire length of the line.

 

Gabrielle is speechless, not sure how to tell her new dad how she feels, the silence in the room deafening...

 

“Grrrr......” he growls, ripping the entire page out, starting a new page entirely, crumbling it in his hands.

 

Ricardo listens as Belle explains his mother’s dark betrayal to him...

 

“I hate writing.  I wish it would die in a fire and never come back again.  Why did I ever think this was a good idea?” he says loudly, falling dramatically backwards onto the couch, finally fed up.

 

“What are you working on Kerry?  Your detective book again?  Did teenage Sherlock and John not beat Moriarty to the punch this time?” his mother asks cheerfully, joining him on the couch by his head, smiling sincerely.  He snorted.  His mom really cared about what he worked on, it was awesome.  She didn’t call it nerdy like Miles did.

 

Kerry shakes his head.  “No...  I’ve...  GAH, I’ve been thinking about writing something else, but nothing sounds right.  I don’t like it, but I want to write it...”

 

“Oh?  What are you working on this time then?  Another one of those RWBY things?  Maybe Dead Fantasy?  I know how much you love those shows!  OOH wait!  How about that amazing Vet Mother who saves the lives of many animals each and every day!” Elena asks charmingly, looking down at the mess of a notebook, strikes and scribbles through a good portion of it, the crumbled paper still being smushed in his hand.

 

That was cool too.  She really tried understanding what he liked in life, and always made sure he could do stuff he wanted with his friends, assuming his homework and grades were acceptable.  They were.  He never wanted to disappoint his mother.  

 

“Uh...  Well, it’s about a man who...  Uh...  Takes care of sad kids from bad homes, being a good father to them.  Makes them feel better about themselves, and...  Have a good life again.”

 

She gets a look of worry on her face, her expression turning solemn quickly.  “Kerry...  Do...  do you want to talk about your father?”, she asks, Kerry shaking his head quickly.

 

“Mom, NO! Nononono.  No, I’m really just...  I’m just writing a book.  I’m fine with dad, really!  That’s just what I wanted to work on!” he exclaims, realizing how easily that could have been misconstrued to her.

 

She puts her head down sadly.  “You do know that he left us a long time ago...  Not because of you, right?  He left because he was immature and couldn’t handle dealing with a child.  It has NOTHING to do with you sweetheart, I promise.” she says, rubbing his shoulders.

 

Kerry smiles.  “I know mom.  I’m fine.  Besides, after everything with Ryan, I have NOTHING to complain about...  Ever!  I’ve got you, Ryan, Miles, Mrs. Luna and Ryan’s dads.  I’ve really got extra, if you think about it hard enough!.” he says, grinning.  He meant that too.  He never thought about his father.

 

Elena heaves a sigh of relief.  “Oh good...  Well, I was worried that maybe you giving me a sign or something.”, she says, messing with his long hair a bit.  “Don’t worry your mother like that, just tell me how you feel, ok?  No puzzles.  I’m not as smart as you are Kerry.  I’m not Sherlock!”

 

He shakes his head.  “No mom, I’m fine really...  Oh whatever, I guess I can tell you, you’ll worry otherwise...  I’m writing about Ryan’s dad, Ryan and his brothers...  He told us all about them, his new dads, and his own mom and dad during the sleepover.  Like everything!  It broke my heart, and I guess...  I guess I just want to share it with people.” he says, looking slightly re-invigorated, touching the notebook softly.

 

It’s all I’m good for anyway...  Putting words on paper...  I’m not smart like Ryan.  I’m not brave like Miles.  I’m..  I’m just...  

 

She smiles.  “Oh?  well, how does it all start?”

 

Kerry pouts.  “I have no idea.  That’s the problem.  I don’t know enough to write a chapter, let alone a whole book...” he regrettably admits.

 

Elena nods her head with a quirky look on her face.  “Well...  You’re lucky you have me as a mom then.  Because I know EXACTLY how it all started.”

 

Kerry’s expression turns golden, him hopping up and facing his mother immediately.  “WHAT?  HOW!?” he asks, genuinely curious.

 

“Well...  It’s not my place to say.  Besides, I think hearing it from Geoffrey would be the best way.  I’m sure he’d tell you in a heartbeat if you just asked...” Elena says, Kerry looking mildly disappointed with the statement.

 

It doesn’t escape her either.  “I know..  I’m a cockblock, so sue me!” she says, hugging her son tightly.  

 

~~~~~~

 

Barbara slowly opens her eyes, noticing she had moved from the office floor onto her white leather couch.  There was a cool wash rag on her forehead, her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail.  

 

"Barbie, you scared the shit out of me..." Geoff says, her noticing his voice is far away.

She tries moving, but it still hurts, instead electing to remain as she was.

 

"Came over to ask you about HomeHunters while Jack watched the kids, saw you unconscious against the wall through a window when you didn't answer.   Uh, your door is fucked up, my bad, but I did clean up the mess in the hallway.  I'll fix it tomorrow with Ryan, that kid is super good with tools and shit." Geoff says, chuckling a bit.

 

She turns her gaze, peeking at her front door.  It was slightly off the hinges, the handle cracked to pieces, basically destroyed.  

 

Jesus Geoff, did you use an axe....?

 

“Sorry, my feet are deadly when I’m stressed.  I don’t handle emergencies well, I just go into “fight” mode.” he says, chuckling.  She feels as he softly sits down next to her, a bowl of steaming broth in his hands.  "Eat this, please." He says, handing her the bowl.  She takes it, but it strains her as she brings the spoon to her mouth.  Still, the warmth feels good on her stomach.

 

"Want to talk about it?  You should have told someone if you were this sick, I’m sure someone would have come and helped you." Geoff asks, shaking her head in response.  

 

“It’s just the flu or something Geoff, I’ll get over it.  I have too much work to-” she starts, but begins heaving again, Geoff producing a trash can comically fast, her hitting it immediately.

 

“Bullshit Barbie.  Call Gus, take a few days off, I’m sure someone can cover your kids for a few days, we all did it.  Joel told me this morning you were in a bad way, I just figured you were stressed about the decision.  Not...  You know, completely shitfaced.” he says, taking the trash can away as she finishes, her collapsing against the couch.

 

“But...  I need...  Ethan...  Clover...  Danni...”she manages to say, Geoff shaking his head.  

 

“If I know you Barbie, you’ve got all these kids in great homes that have been checked out in triplicate, and they’ll survive for a few days without you.  Unless you’ve slipped up somewhere while I wasn’t looking and suddenly became bad at your job.  Which...  You know, isn’t possible.” he says, smiling at her, giving her an approving look.

 

“I’m...  I’m pathetic...” she says, shaking her head, cursing her body for not toughing it out more.  How could she just...  Give up like that?  She was no better than Reel.

 

Geoff gives her a dirty look.  “Do you honestly believe that?  Like, for real?  You are the hardest worker at the agency, you single handedly made the connection between Protective Services and HomeHunters possible, AND you’ve saved four of the most forsaken children in Texas.  Not to mention...  You gave me, Jack and so many other people in this state...  Our children, making sure we knew everything about them and how to best love and care for them.” he says softly towards the end, but still in a stern tone.

 

She doesn’t move.  “Geoff, it doesn’t matter.  If even ONE of them slips through my fingers in the wrong way...  EVEN ONE...  Then...  Then I’ve failed...  I came SO close too...  What if Gavin...  What if I stuck Gavin somewhere...  That...”

 

Geoff takes her by the hand.  “But you didn’t.  You were worried about him, so you took him to Jack, someone that might have been able to figure him out better, going far out of your way and definitely over your usual work hours.  Because you’re a good agent.  Because you’re a good mother.  Because YOU CARE.” he stresses.

 

She still doesn’t move, letting his words unjumble in her mind.

 

But I...  Had Michael not been there...  Had...  Had Gavin not spoke up...  I...  I would have just...

 

“Don’t go there Barbie.  If you do, you’ll never get out.  Think about Carter.  Was that situation his fault?  No.  But he let it RUIN himself.  We ALL tried to save him too, remember?  Well, wake up Barbara, unless you want to end up like him.  You haven’t even DONE anything yet, we can’t lose you already.  We need you, just like your kids need you.  We need you to be BARBIE.” he says firmly.

 

THAT made her open her eyes.

 

“Oh god Geoff...  I...”

 

He shakes his head.  “It’s fine Barbara, don’t even worry about it at all.  Just rest, ok?  Will you take a few days now?”

 

She nods her head.  “Yeah...  Can..  Can you call Gus for me?” Barbara asks, Geoff getting up immediately, pulling his phone out of his pocket.  

 

She grabs the back of his shirt.

 

"I know...  I know I'm stupid Geoff.  For wanting...  To save them all.  Just say it.  You...  You of all people should know the real truth of it..." She says angrily, expecting the most rational man of them all to confirm her darkest fears.

 

“Nah, you can save as many as you want Barbie.  Nobody’s beyond saving, some are just harder than others, and some just choose to give up when they don’t find someone to help them.  Well, that’s not you, you don’t give up and you find someone to help them all.  When you’re on your A-game...  Well, I always think...  Maybe if I’d had someone like you, I could have missed a lot of heartache in my life.” he says absentmindedly and truthful, rolling through his contacts, not registering the serious tone in which she had asked her question.

 

I..  What?

~~~~~~~~~

 

“Twenty five more.  Now.” Kyle says harshly, looking down at his pathetic excuse for a son, no drive at all in this one.  The boy was already brutally winded at just seventy-five crunches.

 

He watches as Miles takes a deep breath, lifting himself up and starting the next set, but not saying much of anything besides counting them out, looking utterly strained.  Generally, that was a good thing for him to see.  Pain was just a form of weakness leaving the body, or at least as far as he was concerned.  Yet...  His son was just a wimp, one of those nerdy little kids like Shawcross or Haywood.  He was beginning to see that.  It was pointless trying to fix him.

 

“Seven......   Eight....  Nine....  Ten.......” Miles counted, his father making sure each one was done properly.  There was no excuse for him not to do every single one of them perfectly, or there was no point to it.  

 

“Have you done ANYTHING productive this summer?  At all?  It was my understanding that you’d get in shape for the school basketball team.  We practiced every night before I left last summer, and you were improving slowly from your usual clunky self.” he asks, the boy continuing to pull himself upwards, not stopping.

 

“Yes...  Sir...  I....” he replies strained.

 

“Don’t lie to me boy.  You’re pale as a ghost, so you haven’t been out in the sun.  The equipment was dusty in here, so you obviously haven’t been using it anytime recently.  If you were in shape, you wouldn’t be THIS tired from your first set.” he says firmly, the boy still pulling himself upwards.

 

“I let you get away with a lot of stuff young man.  I give you the space you need while I’m here, because I know how overbearing your mother is on you.  And yet...  You’re doing nothing with yourself.  It’s pathetic.” he says honestly, watching his son pick up the pace at the end.

 

“Twenty five!” he exclaims, falling back down on his back, breathing heavily in and out, but not acknowledging his questions.

 

Kyle is angry now, but holds his tongue.  “Explain.”  

 

There’s a fearful silence, and Kyle expects an answer quickly.

 

“Tryouts were last week.  I didn’t make the team dad.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

The warm evening sunlight waded softly inside a very clinical looking bedroom.  While it had all the amenities of a regular bedroom, there were a handful of medical equipment scattering it.  Just a few heart monitors, a handful of medical instruments here and there.  

 

There were two people in the room.  A man whose figure was obscured by the light reflecting off the windows, and a woman.  She was older, in her late forties, with short cut wheat colored hair which was nicely cared for.  Even without makeup, her complexion was still fair, and she had a thin pair of reading glasses on, though not serving much purpose, her book on the side table.  The woman was in a silk nightgown, laying on the bed, while the man sat in a small wooden rocking chair to her side, facing away from her.

 

He’d been sitting there for a few hours, just watching her ramble on, not saying a word.  It was therapeutic.  For both of them.

 

“Oh Sammy...  Your sister Regina is such a handful these days..  Why just the other day I saw her sneaking into the cookie jar, standing up on the back of that brother of yours.  Such little sneaky tricksters, those two...” she says, giggling softly.

 

He nods his head, still not speaking, the woman staring vacantly outside the window.  

 

“I’ll...  I’ll never understand why that brother of yours never comes and visits me.  I suppose it’s because he hates you two.  He never really wanted any brothers or sisters.  That boy was so selfish, never thinking about anyone but himself.  Such a spoiled brat, he was.  He never would babysit you two, always going out with that Jordan friend of his, never wanting to be a part of our family.” she says calmly, not in a harsh tone in any sense.  Just a tone of utter disappointment.

 

He cringes.

 

“Still...  I suppose this must be his way of dealing with......” she says, hesitating at the end.

 

“Oh goodness...  I feel sad for some reason Sammy.  Why...  Why do I feel sad?!” she asks, just a tiny bit alarmed, clutching her heart, breathing in and out shallowly.

 

He stands up and calmly pressed the “nurse call” button on the wall, watching as the woman began slowly crying.  “Sammy...  I’m...  I’m not sure what i’m feeling...  Why...  Why are you...  Here?  I’m...” she stutters.

 

Before she could hyperventilate, he gathers his small bag, flinging it across his shoulder.  Not saying a word, he exits the room, the woman now caught up in her own thoughts again, mumbling incoherently.

 

A friendly looking woman in dark purple scrubs walks up to him.  She was of African-American descent, with a tiny little frame, but one burning inferno of a friendly demeanor, giving him a big smile as she finally reaches him.  “What’s wrong darlin’?  Does your mom need something?” she asks, losing her smile as she takes in his serious expression.

 

“Mom’s about to remember the accident again.  You might want to sedate her like you did last time...  Father and I don’t want her to hurt herself again.” he says, shaking his head.

 

The nurse frowns.  “Oh dear...  I’ll give her a minute or two to try and calm down before I go in.  No need in spooking the poor dear if she can work through it...” she says regrettably, but trying to be optimistic for the man.

 

He nods his head, thanking her, and walking off as she catches him by the collar.

 

“Did she remember you today Caleb?  She’s been doing better lately, so...  I guess I hoped maybe something would have come up.” the nurse asks.  She was the one in charge of taking care of his mother now, making sure she didn’t break the cuffs that bound her to the bed, or go into one of her fits if she remembered...  Mrs. Samson, if he could recall correctly.  He hadn’t learned her name yet, considering most of his mother’s caretakers left after a month or so.  She was a high maintenance nightmare, getting shifted around frequently to the low woman or man on the totem pole in the ward.

 

He shook his head.  “No...  Today I was Sammy.  But...  I guess that’s ok too.  Sammy and I had similar hair when we were little, so...  Maybe next time...  Maybe next time...” he says optimistically, smiling.

 

The nurse pats him on the shoulder.  “She’ll beat it Caleb...  I promise...She won’t always need to be here, and someday...  Someday she’ll be ready to be a mother again.”

 

Caleb puts on his bravest face, smiling softly, not having the heart to tell the nurse he’d given up hope years ago, only really coming now for his mother’s sake, and his peace of mind.

 

He doesn’t say a word, slowly walking the length of the hallway, taking notice of the painful reminder as he exits the ward.

 

Austin Psychiatric Unit

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

With the next week completely taken off, Caiti already agreeing to take her work in full, Barbara hadn’t felt as stress-free in a long time.  It felt good...  

 

Her and Geoff talking all day, sharing stories about their time in the agency, and just...  Letting everything off her chest. For all the advice she always told her kids about being honest and not letting feelings fester, she never really took it herself.  How silly of her, thinking back now.  

 

Still on the same couch, Barbara yawned, and laid down, putting her head down on Geoff’s lap, looking up at the man’s face closely for the first time.  “Thank you, Geoff.  You really are...  A good man for taking care of me today...” She says, smiling, noticing how cute his little stubble was, those deep blue eyes looking straight into hers, one of his tattoos snaking up just past his collar.  

 

He smiles gently, though with a pained expression.  “Consider it me catching up, I certainly wasn’t a good one when I was younger.  I’ll be repaying karma for decades…” he says, his eyes traveling off into a realm of memories.

 

She gets a curious look on her face.  

 

“Geoff Ramsey…  Who were you?  Really?  We all used to speculate, but you never really talked about it at work.  The real story, uncensored, I’m dying to know.  How would...  How would I have saved you on my A-game?” Barbara asks, touching his face gently, gaining his attention.

 

Geoff lets out a big sigh.  “Well…”

 

~

 

The rain had been pouring all week, puddles everywhere, storm clouds bursting with lightning and booming with thunder. The National Weather Service had predicted severe weather all week, ranging from floods, to high winds and even a small possibility of tornadoes.  An oddity, to be sure, considering it was the middle of December.

 

Despite the rain, people were still out and about, the Austin sidewalks busy with people carrying large boxes, countless bags, and all in jovial holiday spirits. Though, a hidden alleyway was telling a different story, so close, yet so far from the busy and happy people walking by.

 

There was a tall and extremely thin man, pinning a smaller one as equally thin into a wall.  The tall man had a knife, waving it just outside the smaller one’s stomach.  Both were in black plastic raincoats, their faces obscured by the hoods.

 

“Really shouldn’t have been sleeping in my spot, asshole.  Law of the land, sorry to wake you sleeping beauty, but this shit will not fly with me...  Hand over your shit, and nobody gets hurt…” he whispers softly, the blue eyes of the smaller and thin man shaking, tears running through his face, his hand trembling as he hands a tiny wallet over.  The smaller one’s raincoat sleeve falls backwards as he raises it, revealing several sets of tattoos on a skinny arm.     

 

Lightning flashes, a gigantic boom cracking in the streetway, the rain still drenching both of them fully by now.

 

“Niiiiiice tats kid.  Makes you look REAL tough.  Don’t mean shit out here though, we can smell your kind a mile away.  Babies…  That’s what you are.  You think you have it SOOOOO bad, but the reality of it is…”

 

The man pushes the knife directly onto the smaller one’s neck.  “You.  Don’t.  Know.  Shit.” He says venomously, moving the blade softly from his neck, putting a small cut on the man’s cheek.  A dribble of blood falls out, the smaller one beginning to choke up, starting to hyperventilate in fear.

 

“Go home kid, wherever that may be..  Don’t be an idiot and ruin your life.  Don’t be like me.  You’ll regret it the rest of your damn life.” The man says, retracting the switchblade, and pushing him HARD into a set of garbage cans, jogging off calmly, joining the crowd, blending in quickly.

 

The smaller man just sits there, curling up into a little ball, not moving from the dump in which he laid.

 

“I want to go home...” the man says, using one of the garbage lids as a makeshift umbrella, his emotions overtaking him as he begins to break down.

~

 

Geoff sighed.  “I was a scared little boy that lost everything important to me.  My home, my girlfriend, and I’d failed my brother big time…  I didn’t know how to grow up to face everything in the real world, and was just pissed off at the world because I didn’t know to fix it.  I...  I didn’t have anyone that cared anymore.  So I ran into the streets, thinking about how bad I had it, just...  Giving up on life really.  I waited there...  Every day, hoping to die.  Just waiting for someone to come...  End it all.  Just...  Just wanting someone to put me out of my misery, so I would have to “feel” anymore.  I was sick of it..  All of it.” he mutters slowly and in a hurt tone of voice.

 

Barbara sees a distraught look in his eyes, and gently touches his face, noticing the man’s own inner demons tormenting him as hers had been just a few hours ago.  

 

“Well, you must have found a way to fix it.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t be staring at the strong father in front of me.  The man that gained the trust of Michael Jones.  The man that gave Ryan Haywood hope, not once, but twice.  The man who helped give Gavin Free his voice back.  The man who helped crack Ray’s mask.  And...  The man…” Barbara says determinedly, tearing up just a tad.

 

Geoff takes her hand off his face, clutching it.

 

“The man who showed me what I need to do tonight…”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So…  I’m getting a mommy AND a daddy!  AND two sisters?!” Dan asks excitedly, his grin infectious.

 

Kara nodded her head.  “Uh huh!  I’m going to take your things over tomorrow while you’re at school, I’ll pick you up, and we’ll go meet everyone!” she says, smiling as the boy’s shocked expression melted her heart.

 

“WOW.  He moves fast!  I should have asked for more!” Dan says wildly, plopping back onto Kara’s couch, the excitement too much for him, his eyes wide and clearly amazed.

 

She gets an odd look on her face.  “Who works fast-“

 

Her cell phone is buzzing, cutting her off as she fishes it out.  Gus’s no-nonsense face was on it, Kara sighing deeply.  “Hey Gus!  What’s up, I’m kind of having a moment with my kid here!” she says irritatingly.  It was her LAST night with Dan, and she was going to have as much fun with him as possible.  She’d done the one thing she knew she shouldn’t have done, making a big rookie mistake.  Kara loved the kid like her own, and thought of him like a son.  The idea had crossed her mind to..  Well..  Adopt him on her own, and find another job.   

 

I wish…  she thought, every memory they’d shared together rushing through her mind.    

 

“Well, if you can spare the moment, I’ll give you a lifetime instead.” He says, in a fairly happy tone of voice.

 

Kara’s eyes widen.  What?

 

“Barbara decided to stay with the agency.  Some shtick about wanting to help as many as she can, she’s Barbie, do I really need to spell it out more for you?  We’d like for you to be the HomeHunters mom with Joel.  You DID apply too, remember?” he says, rather exasperated.  

 

Gus hated repeating himself.

 

She turns her gaze to Dan.

 

“D….  Did you say….”

 

“GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!  YOU HAVE A SHIT TON OF PAPERWORK TO GET DONE!  DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FAR BEHIND YOU ARE?  I SHOULD FIRE YOU INSTEAD!” he screams, but in a mocking tone, not serious in the least.

 

She hangs up on Gus’s raging, picking up Dan and hugging him as hard as she can, spinning him around.

 

“AAAAAAAKAAAAARAAAAAAASTOOOOOOP” he yells, hating it when she did that.  She didn’t care though, he’d have to suck it up like a big boy.

 

Kara was on cloud nine.  She wasn’t like Barbie, she didn’t want to help everyone.  No…  It was enough if she just got to save one child completely, and made them genuinely happy.  Because that one kid was someone’s Mishi.  Especially Dan, who was Mishi for so many little buddies of his own.  Hell, Dan was a Mishi to her now too.

 

Finally stopping, she watches as Dan looks a tad green, still vocally protesting.

 

“I gotta go to work late, so can Caleb come over and watch you for a while?” she says, Dan looking a little hurt.  “But…  You said we were gonna get pizza!” he says, clearly disappointed.

 

Kara thinks a moment or two.  “Well, we can grab some and you can come to work with me if you want.  I’ll be REAL late though, and don’t you want to be WELL rested for meeting your new mommy and daddy tomorrow?” she says playfully, hoping to keep it a surprise.

 

Dan shakes his head.  “No!  I wanna go with you!” he says, grabbing around her neck and hugging tightly.  

 

Kara smiled, patting him on the back. “Then let’s go to work Dan…. my little man.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Geoff was enjoying the peace and quiet of the late evening with his music blasting in his ears, having had a VERY long weekend.  Not counting Barbara’s flu, getting Kara picked up as a last minute parent, he’d also finally dealt with Mrs. Luna about last night’s “incident”.  THAT was a tiring ordeal, though she didn’t take it as he thought she would.  Apparently, Elena had recanted some magical tale of him leaping to their rescue and fending off drug-crazed maniacs, saving some child he didn’t even know.  Instead of being angry, she wanted to bake him a cake and literally sobbed over the phone, thanking him for his service towards their family, insisting he come meet Mr. Luna as well.  She was amazingly crazy and dramatic, and he couldn’t help but start to like her.  Rebecca was over the top, but cared more about Ryan and his friends than just about anyone.  THAT was a good mom.

 

He hears a light snore, and glances over at the living room couch, Ryan still zonked out since noon.  Untrue to his word, Jack actually let the little prick stay up ALL night, and he was zapped, the boys having apparently watched movies and talked until their eyes bled.  

 

Great.  There’s one sleep schedule I’m not going to have fun re-adjusting…  He thinks, making a mental note to kick Jack’s ass when he got home.  Jack was out with Gavin and Ray once he got back, letting them have their own little “fun day” at the park that late afternoon, since Michael had gone to a birthday party for Lindsay for the day.

 

Almost on cue, there’s a knock at the door.  Letting out a deep sigh, he pushes himself up out of the chair, and slowly walks towards it, realizing his R&R had come to an end.  He opens it, and sees three VERY happy little kids rush in, each holding some gigantic plush doll.

 

“Daddy!  I WON CHUCK E’ CHEESE!” Michael says excitedly, the girls behind him clapping in proud unison.  Courtney had a cute tiny stuffed bunny , Lindsay with a GIGANTIC orange plush cat, while Michael had some medium sized stuffed T-Rex.

   

Joel walks up behind them, having been a few steps behind them, Caiti right at his side.  “Hey Geoff!” Joel waves, the kids running off into the living room to sit and talk some more, right next to Ryan.

 

Caiti shakes her head.  “I only met Michael once before, and I remember that child being the most unruly and angry individual I’d ever met, thinking about how much of a hard time you were going to have with that one.  But...  Wow.  What a change!” she says.

 

He turned back to look at them.  His son was terrorizing the girls with his T-Rex, Courtney fighting back with her bunny, and Lindsay pretending her cat was a tiger.  So...  What exactly had changed?

 

“Oh?  Did he behave himself?” Geoff asks, looking at Joel, having half expected the kid to be a mess.

 

Joel nodded his head.  “Oh no, I don’t think you quite understand what a little man you’ve got on your hands.  The kid must have one the better part of some six thousand tickets today on some luck game.”

 

Geoff’s eyes grew wide, realizing exactly what that must have meant.  “Oh Jesus Christ Joel...  I-”

 

The man waves his hands in front of him, silencing him quickly.  “Shh.  I’m talking, don’t interrupt me when I’m talking, I’m magnificent when I speak.  Anyway, he won all the tickets, then proceeded immediately to the ticket counter, the girls right behind him.  The boy told Lindsay to pick out whatever she wanted for her birthday, her getting big ol’ Joe the cat there.  With what was left, he went and got himself that T-Rex there for himself, and gave the rest of his tickets right to Courtney, who went and got her nice little bunny there.  Whatever was left, he went and gave to all the other kids in the restaraunt”

 

He blinks once or twice, his face stoic and frozen in shock.  “Wait...  So...  MY Michael...Michael Jones?!”

 

Caiti laughs.  “Yeeeep.  He didn’t think once about all the stuff he could have had, and when Joel or I tried to get him to think about it, he just yelled at us, saying it was “only fair” and to shut our faces.” she says, snorting at the end.

 

“AHHHH!  GET OFF ME!  MICHAEL!” Ryan yells sleepily, Michael hitting Ryan repeatedly on the head with his dinosaur, making appropriate noises as the girls joined in quickly as well.    

 

“NO SLEEPING IN DINO WORLD!  I’M GONNA EAT YOUR FACE RYAN!  RRRRAWWWWRRR!” he says playfully, ramming the T-Rex in his face to awaken his big brother, Ryan trying to grab him, the girls keeping him from succeeding.

 

Geoff couldn’t help but grin, Joel slapping him on the back.  “Sooo....  I want in intricate detail everything you’ve done since you got him, so I’ll know how to make Dan happy, thoughtful and respectful like that.  Or so I can write a book about childcare and put Spock to shame.”

 

He gets rather sentimental again, thinking back once more to his past...

 

~

 

It had been some time since he mugged the kid, now finally far away enough that he felt safe, walking over a street bridge, a river underneath.  It was pitch black, nearly midnight by this point, the only light in the storm coming from the orange of the streetlights, illuminating the road.

 

The tall man cracks open the wallet, searching frantically, sighing in relief as he sees taking the cash and stuffing it into his pocket, throwing the wallet over the bridge and into the nearby river, a loud splash being heard.  No trace now...

 

Twenty bucks.  That’s all he had for the day.  It’d be fine.  Not like he needed much anyway.  The man stops walking, turning his face up, letting the rain drip down on it, hoping to wash away some of the shame.  At first, it felt good, but now…  Now her words began to sting.  The look in that kid’s face though…  He’d put pure terror in him, the brat probably running back home to mommy and daddy.  Good.  There’s no need in anyone else suffering like him..

 

The switchblade is tight against his jeans, having popped open slightly, and he pulls it out, fumbling it in his fingers, mumbling angrily as he feels it cut into his skin a bit.

There’s a gust of wind, the hood to the man’s raincoat flies off, his hair and face visible to the world, a deluge pouring over it.  The blade falls out of his hands in the same gust, landing on the stone bridge with a loud clang, plopping through the small railing holes, falling into the river as well with a small and muffled splash.

 

Geoff didn’t bother re-adjusting the hood, or moving his hands where the blade had been.

 

His blue eyes were dark, but the light of the streetlamps giving them a warm orange glow.   He wanted the rain to fall on him.  He deserved it.  He deserved everything he got.

 

His face was disgustingly unkempt, and he reeked.  He hadn’t shaved or bathed since he left home, and his hair was unwashed and uncombed.  Geoff wouldn’t be on the cover of magazines anytime soon, and probably wouldn’t be welcome anywhere.  Not that he even remotely cared anymore.

 

“Young man?  Are you ok?” says a soft female voice.

 

Geoff turns around, seeing a small teenage girl with short, punked blonde hair, standing under an umbrella.  She…  Griffy?!  His face lights up just a bit, his eyes and mouth open in disbelief, his whole body engulfed in relief.  

 

“Oh my word, you’re soaked and a complete mess!  Please, take this!” she says, handing him a frilly pink umbrella.  Shaking his head, he realizes it wasn’t Griffy at all.  No, it was an older lady, with blonde hair, but completely different that Griffon’s, slightly darkened.  The streetlight…  Must have made a mirage.  She’s wearing nice clothes, and looks like something out of the upper crust.

 

“Honey...  Please don’t fraternize with the bum too long, we’re late getting home as it is...” Says a male’s proper-sounding voice, coming from a car he hadn’t noticed parked behind him.  The woman waves her hand at him, dismissing him.

 

“Listen…  You look like a complete mess, but you…  You look so young; it kills me to see someone like you out here.” She says, fishing out a small wad of cash from her jacket’s pockets, putting it into his palm and closing it tight for him.  “Get a room tonight, get cleaned up, and use the rest to go somewhere safe.  There’s a shelter downtown if you need it, and they’ll get you taken care of, maybe even help you find a job.  If you have a home...  Well, that should get you there too if you want..” She says, smiling and walking away from him, without another single word.

 

He grips the money tightly.  There’s hundreds of dollars there.  More than he’d probably ever held in his entire life.

 

Geoff looks up at her, looking into the back of her head, having not even taken in her face at all.  “Why?  Why would you even care?  You don’t even know me.  Who says I won’t just go take this and get drunk or high?  You’re an idiot, you know that?” he says, calmly, the woman stopping just by her car’s door.

 

This woman doesn’t turn around, and he doesn’t notice her gentle smile.  She shouts to be heard over the rain.  “Because I’d hope…  If my little boy ever got into a situation like yours…  That someone would be there to look out for him too.  You have your whole life ahead of you young man, don’t…  Don’t waste it.  There are so many wonderful things to do and see.  And besides…  You’re clearly underage, they won’t serve you alcohol.” she says, chuckling a bit.

 

Thunder rumbles again, him still not satisfied.  “So what?  You think this is going to fix me?!  Some bullshit act of kindness from a stranger?” he yells, his voice still in disbelief.

 

She shakes her head.  “Of course not.  It’s up to you to do that, I’m just giving you a helping hand.  I see something special in you...  Something...  Brave.” She says mysteriously, climbing into the car, and slamming the door shut.  The car roars to life, driving swiftly away from him.  In the rush of the car, a splash from the tires creates a wave of water that hit Geoff straight in the face.

 

He stands there, the rain avoiding him with the umbrella, but the car’s splash rolling down his face.

 

In the six months since he left Jack....

 

In the six months since Griffy left….

 

In the six months since he left his shitty life….

 

He felt genuinely cold, a shiver running down his entire body…

 

It took a moment or two but...

 

The car’s splash wasn’t the only thing running down his face, emotions finally flowing back to him, feeling his heart pump blood loudly in his ears.

 

 ~

 

“I’m just honest with him Joel.  I’ll always be honest with him.  When he does something wrong, I’ll scold him.  When he does something amazing, I’ll praise him.  When he needs a father’s advice, I’ll give it to him, and hope I’m not fucking him up.  When I’m scared that he’s going to fall into a pit like I did, I’ll try my damnest to pull him back out.  But most importantly, and this is for all of my kids...” Geoff says, watching as Joel smiles, Caiti patting him on the back.    

 

“I’ll be there to give them a helping hand.” he says, smiling, watching his sons interact.

 

“AHHH!  RYAN STAAAAAHHHHP!” Michael laughs as Ryan picks him up, hoisting him over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes, the girls jumping up and trying to reach Michael, but Ryan just a tad too tall for them to manage.  

 

“MOGAR IS POWERLESS BEFORE THE MIGHTY ODIN!  BOW BEFORE ME MORTALS!!” Ryan screams playfully, putting on his best villainous voice possible, the girls now kicking him.  

“OW OW OW, NO NO NO OW, OK, you can have Mogar back, calm down ladies!!  OW!” he says painfully, tossing Michael onto the soft couch, the boy immediately back in the action.

 

“CHARRRRGEEEEE!” he screams, the kids running after Ryan all at once, the preteen rushing for cover in his room, overly enthusiastic, putting on quite the show for the kiddos.

 

Joel shakes his head.  “You’d think there was nothing wrong with those kids.”

 

Geoff couldn’t help but shrug.  “ That’s just it Joel... There’s not anything in the world “wrong”  
about them.”

 

\----------------

The local Austin park that Daddy always took Ray to was empty that night.  Good, cuz he and Gav got to hog the swings all night!

 

“Ray, you’re going too high!” Gav yells, as Ray whooshes by him at mach speed, outpacing his brother by quite a stretch.

 

He couldn’t help it.  Everything was good again, he was happy, and just wanted to go as fast and as high as he could!  It was great to play loud again!   Jackie said he was good, and that he’d never ever have to leave again!  He still missed Mommy, but Jackie, Daddy and his brothers were the bestest!  

 

“Boys, it’s getting late!  Let’s head back, Michael should be home any minute, and we want to talk to you all a bit before bedtime!  We’re getting some new neighbors and friends tomorrow!” Jack says, waving at the two boys playing on the swings together, both of them pushing as hard as they could, but Ray being the evident victor.  

 

The sun was slowly setting on the day, the sky a mess of pinks, oranges and yellow.  It really was pretty, and Ray decided he liked Texas ok.  It was TOO HOT, his head always on fire.

He didn’t like the outside to begin with, but he had his new daddies, brothers, and friends, so it was ok.  Ray didn’t mind it as much.

 

He and Gavin both jump off at about the same time, both racing towards Jackie, the man picking them both up and holding them under his arms.  “I think we deserve a Sonic slush too, don’t you boys?!  It’d Daddy Geoff’s turn to tuck you in anyway!” he says, them both cheering, but Ray’s eyes growing wide as he remembers something.

 

“OH!  Jackie!  I left my glasses, I gotta go get them!” Ray says worriedly, wrestling away from the man, and jumping into the thick grass.

 

Mr. Reed told his daddy that he wasn’t seeing right, and to go to the doctor.  He went, and the lady made him wear stuff like Michael and Jackie had on.  He didn’t like them, but Daddy said they were important and to take care of them so he could do good in school.  Oh well, they kind of cool.  He got to pick them out, so he picked purple!

 

Rushing back to behind the swings and to a nearby tree, he’d left them on a small table just beside them, a little out of sight from his dad.  As he picks them up and puts them back on his face, Ray feels a firm grip on his shoulder.

 

“Excuse me son, but…  Is your name Ray Narvaez?” says a deep, yet calming male voice.

 


	11. Madeline's Prayer

 

_Cameron’s phone would not stop buzzing in his pants.  He’d had the thing turned back on for less than an hour or two, and ALREADY his mother was calling him.  Not that Cameron hated his mother, she just liked checking up on him far too much. He turned it off at the start of the semester, telling her he’d call her if anything was wrong, but to otherwise not expect much in terms of contact._

_Being an accelerated senior, and having taken every summer and three week winter course available when normal students would be breaking, he was constantly busy, working fervently towards getting his degree and getting out.  There was a little boy that needed him, and he wasn’t going to keep him in that hell hole for any longer than he had to be.  He threw away his social obligations, focusing solely on school and keeping his scholarship active.  When he wasn’t studying, he was…  Well, studying the OTHER thing._

_Still…  His mother wouldn’t do this for no reason…  Especially with the middle of his final full year being as hard as it was._

_He walks into the college library’s phone area, closing the soundproof door, and answering the buzzing phone._

_“Yes Mom, what?!” he asks exasperatedly._

_“Oh Cameron!  I’m so glad I got you, I know you always keep that damn phone off…  It’s Gavin…  I knew you’d want to know about…  What happened._

_His heart stops, the world around him ceasing to move._

_“Mom…  MOM, IS GAVIN OK?!” he asks worriedly, feeling his chest tighten, his stomach an ice ball._

_“Yes…  Son, he’s fine.  It’s just…  His parents…  There was an accident a few weeks ago sweetheart.  Mr. and Mrs. Free passed away from it, and Gavin went into Child Protective Services…  I…  I have no idea where he is, and nobody will tell me anything, I’m not related to him.  We’ve tried everything, but there’s just no way we can find him!  He may not even be in the same city anymore!”_

_Cameron’s heart drops.  That boy…  He’d..  He lost more..  No…_

_“Mom, text me the number for the agency you called.  I’ll get them to talk to me.  If they won’t, I’ll do something else.  Just…  Just keep me informed, ok?  I’ve got to get to a computer.” he says angrily, slamming off his phone quickly.  He runs back towards his table, picking up his homework, stuffing it angrily in his bag, and sprinting towards the staircase._

_“Goddamnit Isaac, you said he’d be ok…  Liar.  When I get to wherever you’re at, I’m kicking your ass pretty boy…” he mutters angrily, taking the stairs two or three at a time._

_~~~_

With the calendar finally turning over to October, things were finally falling back into a normal routine for the HomeHunters.  BOTH of them, and it was with a boyish squeal of happiness that he said that word, having never been more relieved to see their pet project growing already.

But really, the routine was exactly what he’d hoped for, and they were starting to really be regular kids.  The boys and girls would get driven to school by their respective parents, with one or two of the four HomeHunter parents picking them up afterwards all together, and the children would hang outside in their front yards, all of them wanting to do various things, and never NOT having someone to be with.  It was a kind of weird family dynamic that Geoff never once thought about, even when he was planning the original HH project.  But…  It was oddly perfect.  He’d have to make note of this later to future funders.  Doing two homes together might be more attractive.

Though the normal routine was a tad interrupted this morning, Geoff unable to really understand WHAT he was looking at, clearly needing more coffee for that early in the morning.  

“Jack…  What are the boys doing?” Geoff asks, watching the younger sons stacked on top of each other, Ray peeking out of the high risen window. 

He shakes his head.  “Geoff, I’m not exactly sure…” he replies, Ryan cocking his head at the scene as well, the three older men with curious expressions.

“And here I thought Uncle Joel was the only weird one around here…” Ryan states, shaking his head and walking towards the kitchen to fetch something to eat.

In a small three-man pyramid, Ray, Michael and Gavin seemed to be attempting to see from the middle of the window that was out of their tiny reach.  On the very bottom was a pale looking Gavin, Michael crouched atop him, with Ray on the very top, standing up and looking out of the window dreamy-eyed, both his hands placed firmly on the glass, waiting for something...

“Ray….  What are you looking at?” Geoff finally asks, the boy not changing the direction of his sight anytime soon. 

“I’m waiting for…  OH!-“ Ray says, cutting himself off mid-sentence, starting to wave his arms wildly; Geoff standing quickly behind him to see what the fuss was about, watching as little Courtney is on the other side, waving with equal excited fervor. 

“OH!  I guess that window does face Kara’s place…  Were you waiting there all morning for her?  Why would you do that?” Geoff asks, Ray still firmly glancing through the glass.   

“I’m in a LONG distance relationship.  You wouldn’t understand Daddy.” He says confidently, sticking his nose in the air smugly, blowing a kiss at the window.

“HURRY UP RAY!  I WANT MY TURN, AND I THINK WE’RE KILLING GAVIN!” Michael says, the smallest brother looking downright exhausted under both of their combined weights.

Without doing much, he simply walks away sipping away at his coffee, deciding to let the little Romeos do their thing.  Perhaps this Shakespearian romance with Ray would last for more than just 3 days and not involve the deaths of six characters.

~

As much as Joel wanted to admit that the second HH household was in every way the same as the first…  That was a flat-out lie, not that any of the kids or Geoff minded.  With time and more money came better things.  The furnishings were nicer and not second-hand, and the darker and softer carpeting was far more practical.  The children’s rooms had better beds, and they could afford them a lot more clothing and little knick-knacks.  One of Geoff’s Hollywood friends even outfitted them with game stuff, much to the children's grateful amusement.  The layout was very similar, considering that both homes had been built around the same time long ago, but just had a “fresh” feel of it all. 

“Uh…  Joel…  What are the kids doing?” Kara asks, in a cute pink pajama set, with fuzzy bunny slippers, sipping a piping hot cup of tea.  He couldn’t help but notice how comically quick her professionalism dissipated in those few short weeks, being one hell of a mom very quickly.

Joel is sitting at the table, sewing one of Courtney’s shirts that had a ripped hole in it.  “I’m going to guess they’re practicing for the Cirque du Soleil, or looking at the boys again.  Oh.  Now that I think about it, should I be the overprotective dad and go get a shotgun, or should I be a cool dad and go meet the parents?” he says, Kara rolling her eyes at him, and taking a few steps behind the small pyriamid of kids, noticing Geoff and his sons waving at the other window.

“Awww…  Ray blew me a kiss, how sweet!” Courtney says, sitting so very properly on top of an angrily snorting Lindsay, Dan trying his best to support both of their combined weights, not complaining, but not particularly enjoying the situation either.

“Hurry up Courtney!  I wanna see Michael!” Lindsay screams, the girl on top of her not even remotely listening, still smiling ear to ear.

Kara snorted in her tea.  “You kids know you can…  You know…  Just WALK over there, right?  Our fenced backyards are open to each other…  It’s…  Literally, like…  not even thirty seconds when you run, and you can see them in person…”

Joel puts his finger to his mouth.  “Shhhh….  You’ll ruin the illusion of childhood innocence.  I’ll have none of that my daaaaaarrrrrling Kara…” he says in overly dramatic and romantic voice, giving her his best acting that his body could muster, raising his eyebrows comically.

She shoots him a dirty look.  “Awww…  Is Grandpa Joel cranky today?  Did he forget to take his pills?” she says in a snarky voice, smiling that quirky little smile of hers.

Dan turns his head up while still on the bottom of the stacked mess, taking Kara’s pre-instructed cue beautifully.  “Oh?  Mom, Is Daddy Joel a grandpa?  Does that mean he’s old or something?”

In an act of total deadpan, Joel falls out of his chair, hitting the floor with a loud THUD, groaning painfully

“AHHH!  JAY!” Lindsay shrieks, hopping out of the middle stack of children, toppling Courtney to the floor, where she landed directly on Dan’s head with an audible groan.  She rushes over to Joel and cradles his head. 

“SPEAK TO ME JAY!  YOU’RE NOT OLD!  YOU’RE THE PRETTIEST MAN ALIVE! ” she screams dramatically, clinging to his neck.

She then turns her furty directly towards Dan.  “DON’T CALL DADDY OLD DAN!  YOU BREAK HIM!” Lindsay says, clearly remembering the LAST time he’d gone through with the little humorous act when they'd first met.

He touches the child’s face softly.  “Oh Lindsay…  You’re such a sweet child.  I think I’ll make it this time, thank you darling…” he says in a wheezing and barely audible voice, coughing once or twice to add to his overall performance.  Though he notices Kara slapping her face in embarrassment. 

Job accomplished.

~~~~

Child Protective Services…  Well, their branch anyway…  Was in a bad way in terms of workload.  Losing both Kara and Joel had been nothing short of a tragedy, the three remaining senior staff sharing the workload battle.  None of the regular staff would promote, knowing exactly what they would be in store for.  Inside their tiny conference room, Gus and Barbara had opted for…  A different solution.

Barbara shook her head, slamming it against the desk as hard as she could.  “No sir, we could not possibly offer a salary of that level, and no…  Your degree does not entitle you early promotion.” She mutters into the wood, not noticing Gus

The young man, barely in his early twenties stands up from across them, rolling his eyes.  “Whatever, I could work daycares for better than that and not deal with your bullshit.  I’m out.” He says, not even so much as thank them for their time.  The man shuts the door hard behind him, and Gus proceeds to almost pull his hair out.

“GODDDAMNIT BARBIE, I HATE THESE OVERGROWN KIDS.  NOT EVEN FOSTER KIDS ARE AS BAD AS THEM!  IT’S THESE ASSHOLE ENTITLED PIECES OF SHIT!  THEY’RE WORSE THAN ANYTHING!  WHY THE FUCK DID YOU CALL THESE PEOPLE?!” Gus screams, giving the back of Barbara’s head a thorough chewing out, her not even remotely fazed by it.

Not raising her head, she attempts to shrug.  “Well…  The next one is somewhat aged.  Maybe he’ll be a better one.  Besides, you told me to pull out all the stops?  Remember boss?” she says in equal frustration.

The two stare each other down fiercely, being interrupted as a trembling Caiti pulls open the door in a slightly frightened daze, escorting a tall man towards them, to which Barbara raises her head. 

_That Face….  Is that?..._

“Mr. Hullum is here for his interview, are you two ready?” Caiti asks in her upbeat voice

Her face glows bright red, having not even made the connection, far too stressed with the dozens of applications, only really looking at possible qualifications that weren’t terrible.

“Matt!  Oh my goodness, I hadn’t even…  I…  Oh goodness…” she says, covering her mouth in shock.  She’d figured their little adventure with Ray would be the last they would ever see of each other, much to her dismay.

“Good to see you Ms. Dunkelman, I uh..  Hadn’t expected to see you here.” He says, grinning, looking a tad relieved.

Gus gives her a quick little look.  “You know him? Cuz we’re not hiring your ex-boyfriend or some shit.” He says bluntly, Barbara laughing. 

“Oh no Gus…  This is Matt, who helped me on little Ray Ramsey’s case when he first came in.  You know, the one who drove ALL the way from that State Park to the HomeHunters, and then stayed until he went to sleep?  The only cop in the entire state of Texas that I don’t want to kick square in the nuts or barbeque over an open flame?” she says firmly, trying her best to put in a good word for him.  Even without putting a face to the name, Matt was one of the “better” picks in the stack, both of them moderately excited to see someone with his aptitude. 

_Wait…  WHY IS he here?_

Gus turned to him.  “You’re a cop?  Jesus, then what brings you here?  Looking for a career change?  We’re not exactly the FBI, and we don’t carry guns.” He says plainly, still in an irritated tone from their previous encounter.

Taking the seat across from them, he looks them both straight in the eyes, with solid posture.  He was in a very professional looking suit, clean pressed and looking more like a CEO than someone trying to get a job in protective services.

“Well…  My new job search started when I found little Ray, and the feeling I got being able to be there for him and help him out.  I’d really always wanted to be involved in protecting kids; it’s why I went into the force in the first place, thinking my degree in psychology wouldn’t really “do” much.  But I quickly realized that the police are more concerned with…  Larger things than dealing with children or kids directly, keeping them safe by keeping our town or state safe.  Anyway, long story short, I felt like it was time for a change.  I saw where you guys were looking for someone a few weeks back, and decided to apply.” He stated firmly, not at all bothered by Gus’s soured face. 

Barbara smiles.  “Well, do you have any actual experience with dealing with children?  Assuming that you really didn’t do anything related with them at all with your psychology degree, why should we hire you?”

He chuckles.  “Now THAT is a funny story…”

~~~~

The Luna household was quiet once again, though not for any specific reason this time.  Despite Kyle having already left for another unplanned outage, Miles didn’t feel the need to put on his usual music, or even really try and talk to her about anything in his life anymore.  Whatever her husband had said to him on his last visit…  Well, it broke him.

Rebecca had noticed it quickly.  Miles…   _Her Miles_ …  Was growing distant. 

Thankfully, Kyle was gone, and she hoped to quickly get to the bottom of it.  She didn’t mind him being gone, honestly.  Unbeknownst to many, their marriage had long since run out of love, genuinely enjoying when he left nowadays.  He wasn’t the man she’d married, that was for certain.  Kyle only cared about three things nowadays.  Money, his image/body, and his son. 

Overhearing their interactions when he returned home though…  It may now be down to a mere two things he cared about. She wasn’t foolish…  

Looking across the dinner table at breakfast, Miles barely picked as his food.

“Honey, are you going to the Ryan’s again tonight?  Elena offered a ride if you want!” she asks happily.  Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Patillo had long since proven themselves to her, and was genuinely thrilled that their children had another safe environment to grow in. 

He nods slowly, cracking a small grin in the corner of his mouth, but not really answering her directly.  For whatever reason, Ryan’s home was the only place where he really even remotely got excited to go to anymore.  Perhaps if she spoke with Geoffery… 

“Is…  Dad staying away for a while again?” he asks, the small grin fading quickly, his face eagerly looking hers over.

Rebecca nods.  “Yes…  He probably won’t be back until after New Year’s, and will be here for just a few days…  then he’ll be off again..” she says a little too optimistically, her son nodding, returning to his plate.

_Miles…  Sweetheart…  What’s going on in that head of yours?  What did that man say to you?_

~

_“You WHAT?” Kyle asks angrily.  Surely he did not just hear his son openly admit he couldn’t tough out a mere TRYOUT.  Was he truly that weak?_

_“I…  don’t like playing sports dad, I’m no good at them… I don’t like working out all the time…  I…  I just want to hang out with my friends and…  Watch movies.  Play games.  Go fishing, go walking and just talk…  Do fun stuff.  And maybe…  Try and be good at something I like...” he says reluctantly, still not looking him in the eyes._

_Kyle stood there, staring him down, looking as his exhausted and weak expression, and could tell his son was being honest with him._

_Shaking his head in disgust, he feels his temper rising._

_“So.  You want to just…  What?  Not do anything?  Just sit there like a log, gathering mold?  Doing what exactly with your life?”_

_Miles gets a painful look on his face.  “Well… I…  I like internet stuff...”_

_You’re kidding me…  MY son?  Kyle thinks, unable to fathom where this had come from._

_Kyle adjusted himself away from his son, his face twitching in pure anger.  “What a worthless piece of trash you turned out to be.  Don’t speak to me boy, not until you grow a set of balls and stop sucking on your mom’s tits.  Internet?  For god’s sake, what a pathetic nerd.  You’re her problem now; don’t come to me for anything ever again, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t want a son like you.  You’ll be nothing, just like you damn computer shit, and that’s all you’ll ever be good for.” Kyle says, slamming the weight room door as hard as he can to make his final point hit home, putting a crack inside the frame, the door almost going completely off its hinges._

_~_

Rebecca couldn’t stand it anymore _.  “_ I’ve said it already honey…  But…  If something’s bothering you, I want you to know I’ll-“

Her son doesn’t let her finish, grabbing his school bag and walking wordlessly out of their home, likely making his way to the bus stop.  Miles wouldn’t even let her drive him to school anymore…  He wouldn’t…  He wouldn’t let her do anything for him anymore…

~~~~

Madeline sits in her damp and dank underground cell, the few rays of sunlight from a small window warming her cold face, only three tall white candles burning within it to provide light.  Besides the small toilet, the only other amenity was a hard bed with a thin mattress, and a leatherbound Bible on her pillow. 

Despite her betrayal to the Narvaez family, she was still a part of that same family, and had been granted a private cell away from the other…  Undesirables.  It wasn’t much better, to be honest, yet…  It allowed her privacy to devote her time and prayers in peace…  The last thing her husband would ever grant her, so it seems.

Madeline was kneeling in the light of the sun, her hands intertwined in front of her face, eyes closed.  From the positioning, it was clear that

“God…  Please help my son…  Please…  Please keep my son safe from Emilio…  I know I deserve none of your mercy…  I am unworthy of your blessings, but…  My little Ray…  Do not let my son pay for the sins of his father.  I ask…  I ask for nothing…  I will pay for my sins here, in this dark place until my last breath is drawn.  But beg you…  Please…  Grant him a life of happiness, free from our family of sin…” she pleads again. 

She said the same prayer every day of every hour since her confinement, refusing to falter in her faith, it the only remaining thing she can do for her son.  Raising her head back up, she looks directly into the sunlight.  In just a split second, she swears she can make out a young man’s thin body in the golden orb, with widespread wings, short hair blowing softly in the breeze.

“Madeline…” she hears, her attention swerving backwards towards the opposite side of her cage, a thin, but well-toned man with a dark complexion appearing before her.  His face was in the shadows of the dark cell, but his bright blue collared shirt standing out underneath his black suit.  The man had a thin goatee, and was very attractive looking. 

“I found him.” The man says plainly, in a similar accent as her husband’s.  Not surprising, considering they were related.    

Her eyes tear up, covering her mouth to keep herself from weeping or making too much noise.  “Oh…  Luis…  Please…  Please tell me…  Is he….”

The man called “Luis” cracks a small smile.  “Ray is fine…  He’s growing so tall Madeline, I…  I didn’t recognize the boy anymore…”

Madeline quickly rushes towards him, taking his hand through the bars.  “Oh thank you…  Thank you Luis…  I…  I am so grateful to have you in my life…Please…  Is there anything else you can tell me?”

He shakes his head, speaking in a hushed tone. “Madeline…  He’s in protective services, in a program called HomeHunting or something of the like.  Ray has two fathers, three brothers, and is in a neighborhood that is constantly being patrolled by the authorities.  Expensive security system on the house and…  It seems like he has a little girl he’s enamored with.  I watched them playing in the gardens together behind their house, and on the playground at school.” Luis says, chuckling at the end.

She smiles, grasping her throat to hold the choking sobs in.  They were alone, but she didn’t wish to alert any of the gaurds outside in any way.

“Oh dear…  Already like his father…  What will I ever do with that boy…?” she says, her heart happily fluttering with the news.

Luis sighs.  “Naturally, I will keep this from Emilio and protect the boy at all costs, but…  There are limits to what I can accomplish.  I’m not the only one he has on payroll Madeline.  Should he ever falter in his trust with me…  He won’t remain safe for long, if I found him in just a few months…” He says, her nodding in agreement.

With a truly grateful expression, she returns to her knees, but still gripping his hand tightly.  “We could not have escaped without your help…  And now… I can continue my confinement in peace.  Thank you…  You are a good man.” She says, kissing the top of his hand gently.

Luis’s face darkens, and he quickly turns away from her, pulling his hand away.

“No..  No I’m not…” he whispers softly, taking his leave from her and the cell, each step loudly echoing in the room.  As he closes a solid iron door behind him, she returns to her previous spot in the sun.

“Thank you…  Thank you Father…  I…  I am unworthy…” she says, collapsing to the floor.

_Father…  Luis…  Please…  Keep my little Ray safe…_

_“Don’t worry Madeline…  Ray in good hands…  We will keep him safe.”_

Her eyes widen, having heard a young man’s voice, looking back, scanning for Luis, or anyone else.  It seems as though.. 

She was alone…  Was that…  Was that the angel she’d seen earlier?

~~~

On the busy streets of Austin through the morning commute, the HomeHunter Van was full of terrible singing once again whilst on the way to school.  It was, without question, horrendously tone-death, though in a strangely warming harmony that put a smile on all their faces.

“Head…  Underwater…  And they tell me to breath eaaaaassyyyyy for a whiiiiillllleeee…  That breathing gets harderrr….  Even Iiiiiiii….  Knooooooow thaaaaat….” Sings the Homehunter clan in unison, everyone winking and signaling with their hands, having already prepped for the chorus. 

In true fashion to their plan, all but one of the homehunters stopped, Gavin remaining singing along to the radio, his young voice a little higher than the rest of theirs, but oddly enchanting all the same.

“I’m not gonna write you a love soooonnnng…  Cuz you asssskkkked for iiiiit…  Cauz you need one…  You…  See?” The boy opens his eyes, always having them closed when he sang to really let his voice rip with the rest of them.  Towards the end of the chorus, he’d realized he’d been the only one singing. The rest of them are staring at him with big grins, his face blushing quickly in embarrassment. 

There is a brief round of applause from the men in the car, Ryan rubbing him on the head from the third row seat.  “Gavin, it’s good to know we have ONE person in this family that can sing in tune.  WHERE did you learn how to do that?!” He says, Gavin still blushing a bit.

Gavin shakes his head.  “Uh, nowhere…  I just like singing…” he sheepishly admits, Michael turning his head towards his brother. 

“You’re REALLY good Gabbin.  Can you sing My Little Pony?  I like Pinkie Pie’s happy song the best!” he says excitedly, his eyes almost twinkling in ambition.

Ryan snorts loudly in the background, and Michael gives him a deathly stare.  “Ryan, you want Mogar and the even deadlier Mogaresses to come and invade your room again!?”

The preteen shakes his head and sheepishly ducks under the seats dramatically. “WHITE FLAG, WHITE FLAG!  I YEILD!” he yells, the car having a hearty laugh at the poor boy’s expense.

Jack turns back to Gavin from the front seat though.  “So…  Gavin, want to serenade us some more?  We’d sure like it!” he says hopefully, the boy shaking his head. 

“Uh…  No thank you Daddy…I don’t…  Uh…” he says, receding back into the seat as far as he can.

Ray gives him a sad look.  “Gav, how come…  How come you look real happy when you sing, but…  Get all scardy when people hear you or see you?”

The car goes silent for the rest of the ride to school. 

~~~~

With the kids dropped off at school, Kara and Joel had some off time, though...  There really wasn't.  

Like Geoff and Jack, they had to compile reports on the kids, following through with their research on the effectiveness of the HomeHunters.  Good documentation and detailed writing might just provide good case studies in the future, not to mention attractive headlines for future investors to use in news blurbs.  Unlike their partners in crime, Kara and Joel had JUST gotten started, and needed to get as much beginning details sorted out, so a proper study of their improvement could begin.  

Considering her distaste for general housekeeping outside of tending to the children directly, she’d elected to do the write-ups during the daytime, while Joel took the house chores for the day, and the two of them swapping at night.  Despite their many differences, the two got along swimmingly, and had only gotten into one big fight (away from the kids) since the move in mid-September, and it had only involved what they thought the children should be allowed to watch in terms of ratings, ultimately letting Jack be the deciding vote.    

But really…

Kara still couldn't wrap her head around her new life.  It was so...  Odd.  Well, not THAT odd, but...  The very thought of being paid to live in a home and to be...  Well...  A mom?  A child specialist?  Someone that can give the lost and broken a place to feel like home?  Some people might think that was silly or wasn't contributing much to society, or some bull about gender roles, but to hell with that.  She loved kids, she wanted to change the way the world treated the outcasts like Mishi, and that's all she needed to know.  Even if HomeHunters failed, she could at least say she tried.

 “Oh, for the report, is Courtney still doing ok in the evenings?  Caiti said she had some bad nightmares sometimes, and I was thinking about checking in on her tonight." Joel mutters from the living room, folding laundry, and interrupting her thoughts..

She grinned. 

Kara was surprised at Joel, he’d been such a character at the office, she never really pictured him being an effective father, and more like a big friend or clown to the kids, and yet…  The man excelled at it.  He knew how to not only how to cook, sew, and treat pesky carpet stains, but worked with children effectively and affectionately.  The kids loved his twisted sense of humor, and nothing ever bothered him or made him get angry.  Lindsay, especially, was beyond thrilled with him.  Those two were a good combination actually, Joel’s personality and mannerisms giving her (and the other kids) a thick skin.

She sighed, returning her attention back to her co-parent.  “She got a little upset one night after a bad dream, but calmed down quickly.  We took a walk in the garden outside and talked it over.  Courtney still misses her mom, and…  She wants to know why her house went away.  I tell her I don’t know, but that we’ll know someday…I hate lying to her too, because she just wants to know the truth…” she mutters sadly, Joel catching her downturned expression and standing up from the laundry, walking his way towards her in the dining room.

“Do you want to tell her?  I mean…  She obviously wouldn’t know what meth was, but..  We could explain the cooking and drug part at least…Though do we even know WHY they would want to do it?  They were such a good family from what the neighbors said…” Joel mutters, shaking his head in disgust.

Kara shakes her head quickly.  “No Joel, I’m with Caiti on this one.  I believe in being honest with the children, but…  Can’t we at least ATTEMPT to let her have a normal life for a little while?  You’re that way with Lindsay and her real parents, right?  I mean…  You still haven’t told her THAT little tidbit, now have you?!” she says, the man cringing a bit.

“That’s different Kara, and you know it.  Don’t even go there with me.” He says a little bitterly, his usual playful tone evaporated instantly.

She frowns and covers her mouth, realizing that had been a particularly low blow.  “Sorry.  I didn’t…  Sorry, that was cruel..” She says, Joel patting her on the back.

“It’s fine Kara.  Never easy to explain these things to kids is it?  But…  I mean, if we don’t explain it while they’re younger, we’ll just re-open wounds when they’re older…  We could start the healing now, and give them a good foundation.” He says confidently. 

She smiles.  “Maybe… 

Joel lets out a big groan.  “But man… I really don’t even want to take my own advice, so I’m not even about to lecture you for too long…”

Kara looks up at him, seeing the painful memories wash over him. 

~~~~

Pre-AP Algebra class was one of Ryan’s favorites.  It was hard, frustrating and one of the most difficult things that he and his friends had ever stupidly signed on for.  Yet…  The satisfaction of correctly solving problems, cracking the difficult equations at home, or impressing his dads with his test scores littering the fridge door back home?  There wasn’t a better feeling in the world as far as he was concerned. 

 

Taking extensive notes for that night’s assignment, it took him a minute to recognize the bell signaling for the lunch period, Kerry poking him on the shoulder to coax him out of his stupor. 

“Dude, EARTH to RYAN?!  It’s lunchtime!  I’d like to talk to you about your dad some more, so snap out of it!” Kerry says, Ryan shaking his head, returning to the real world again.

As he began gathering his things, however…

"Haywood, I'd like to see you after class!  Stick around!" Mr. Tate yells from the whiteboard, Ryan's heart dropping a bit.  

As much as he liked his Math teacher, he also wasn't one for pleasantries.  If he needed to see Ryan, it wasn't for milk and cookies, that was for sure.  Mr. Tate was older, probably about as old as Uncle Joel.  He had crimson red hair, copper brown eyes, a pretty thin frame, but with one of the most intimidating stares of any of the middle school teachers.  Mr. Tate ONLY taught the advanced placement classes, and was widely regarded as the toughest teachers in the whole building, if not the whole school.  He'd affectionately earned the nickname "Mr. Snape" from his disgruntled students. 

Though...  This was odd.  Ryan thought he had been doing fine in his class, and had been earning straight A's on all his tests so far.  He had also been well behaved, and didn't have any...  Well...  Hygiene problems this year, now having access a running shower and proper products at his disposal.  Living with his new dads had been great on more than one level.  

Ryan gulped.  "Yes sir." He replies, with Kerry and Miles shooting him worried glances as they made their way out of the room, Kerry saluting him for his valor. 

As the students pile out of the classroom, Mr. Tate erases his whiteboard with the scribbled notes and equations furiously.  Once the last student has left, the teacher closes the door and turns his attention solely on Ryan.  

"Mr. Haywood, I have a puzzling problem with you as well as an inquiry, and I would like to have it addressed." He says, Ryan gulping again, clearly nervous.  Mr. Tate takes Kerry’s vacant seat, staring at him directly in the eyes, with full contact.

"Yes sir?" He replies, still unsure of what this could mean.

"Mr. Haywood, when I received you in my classroom, my predecessor informed me that you would be my biggest problem child, and that you would be the laziest child I would have ever laid my eyes on.  It was my understanding that you were a notorious sleeper.  They informed me that allowing you into my class would be ill-advised and to retain you to a more traditional classroom.  I was ready, willing and able to kick your caboose into gear.  I don’t believe in bad students Mr. Haywood, I believe in bad teachers not doing their jobs right." He says, Ryan quickly looking to his feet.

_Have I been lazy?  I...  I thought I was doing ok..._

Mr. Tate does not loosen his strict appearance.  "Instead Mr. Haywood, I feel as though I'm not even challenging you anymore, and you’re clearly at the top of the class right now, by a large margin.  Beyond that, Mr. Luna informs me that you are the one helping to improve his own scores, which, for his sake, is nothing short of a miracle." He continues, Ryan looking back up, his expression much brighter.

"I understand from speaking with your case worker that you're doing well in your new home, and...   I just wanted to say keep up the good work young man.  You’re one of my brightest students, and it makes me proud to say that.  I don’t want to see you fall short, or you can expect me to speak with your fathers immediately, I’ll have NONE of that.  But onto my more pressing question, I was hoping that you might be interested in joining our school quiz bowl team.  We're lacking any real math skills right now, and if you could talk Mr. Shawcross into joining with his knowledge of the English language, I would be elated. Competition begins in a month or so, and I'd like to have an answer by then." He finishes, giving Ryan a firm pat on the shoulder, and a rare approving smile.  

Ryan felt a smile grow on his face.  It was the first time since kindergarten that any teacher had....  Well...  Complimented him.  It felt good, and he was proud of himself.  Mr. Tate's quiz bowl team ALWAYS did high in the standings, and it was a rare thing to receive an invitation.  

He nods his head though.  "I'd have to ask my dad first, but I bet he'd be ok with it.  I’ll talk up Kerry too!  Oh, could uh...  Well...  Is there a spot there for Miles too?  Or could he at least come along on the trips and stuff?" He says in an uplifting tone, Mr. Tate scratching his chin in a pondering expression.  

"Talk to your friends and your fathers first, and then we'll talk.  But I have no trouble with Mr. Luna joining us, though...  Not competing, as I'm sure you can imagine." He replies.

Ryan nods his head.  "Yes sir, thank you!" He says excitedly, grabbing his things, and rushing out of the classroom as Mr. Tate dismissed him.  He had to talk to Kerry!    
  
~~~

Mr. Reed’s class had been oddly hyper all morning.  Turning around, Carter realized that all of his students weren’t paying the least bit of attention to him.  Instead, the kids seemed to be focused on Ramsey’s bunch, all of them gawking expectantly at the table since outside recess had ended.

_What on earth has one of those boys done?_

Finally, he had enough.  “Children, please settle down!  I’m trying to teach you how to read!” he says sternly, but still in a light tone of voice.  He had (generally) a good class, and never had to lecture them on much of anything, so he hated to be too harsh with them. 

Looking at the HomeHunter table, he noticed that little Gavin seemed to have his head down, focusing on his shoes as though his life depended on it.  That was ESPECIALLY odd, considering he of all the students wanted to read more than any of them…

Putting down his bright purple marker, Carter gives the class instructions to talk amongst themselves for a few moments to calm down, and begins making his way slowly to the table in question, squatting down to Gavin’s level. 

“Gavin, is everything ok?  You seem a little…  Distracted today?” he asks, in a kind, but concerned voice, sincerly wondering what was wrong with the child.  He’d been really speaking out more often lately, so he’d hoped nothing bad had happened at home…

Michael pulls on Carter’s bright pink shirt, not even giving his brother a chance to speak.  “We asked him to sing outside at recess like he did in the car, and he did.  Stinky butt Chris heard him, then he wanted Gavin to sing some weird song he didn’t know, and pulled his hair when he didn’t do it, so Dan and I took him back inside.  That meanie friend Brandon of his told everyone about him singing real good, and now they won’t leave him alone until he sings for them!” Michael says, Gavin blushing to confirm the story. 

Carter stifles a chuckle, realizing how special children really could be over such things.  “Oh?  Gavin, do you have a good voice?” he asks, Michael excitedly nodding for him, his other brother also quickly coming to his defense.

“YEAH!  He’s really cool Mr. Reed!  Our car singing would be bad if he didn’t!  Daddy REALLY stinks too, so that means Gavin must be REALLY good.” Ray exclaims quickly, Dan nodding as well. 

He smiles, a devious plan erupting quickly in his head.

_Should I?  No…  Geoff will probably kill me…  Please, now that I think about it Jack’s probably the more dangerous one here, Gavin’s his child…  Oh what the hell.  They owe me…  Besides, I’ll always be a social worker at heart…_

Adjusting his glasses slightly, he puts a hand on Gavin’s shoulder.  “Well Gavin, it seems like the whole class isn’t going to pay attention to me unless they hear you sing, and that makes me sad!  Think you could help me out today?  They’d probably leave you alone after they heard you once, they’re probably just curious.” He says, Gavin’s face revealing his absolute mortification the idea.

_Well, I guess that’s a no-_

_“_ Gavin, do it!  Didn’t you say your brother sang lots to people he loved?  Well, you said you loved school, so…  Doesn’t that count?” Dan says questionably, Carter turning a quick gaze back to Gavin, who…  Seemed oddly spaced out, thinking in depth. 

_His brother?  Ray?  Michael? OH, maybe that Ryan boy…  Who else sings in-_

“You can do it Gav!” Ray says, giving him very dramatic thumbs up.

Michael nods his head.  “Do it!  I like hearing your voice!  It’s so fancy!” he says, Carter unable to contain his smile, but noticing that Gavin really isn’t moving much.

_Well..  Not like I really expected him to-_

“Ok Mr. Reed…  Can…  Can I just do the ABCs and sit down though?  I don’t…  I don’t know any good songs…” he says sheepishly, and Carter nearly dies as the boy makes his way to the front of the classroom, taking his hand and pulling him, obviously wanting the situation to go away.

Clapping his hands twice, Carter gets a big smile on his face as the class grants him his attention once more. 

“Class, I understand that some of you wanted to hear Gavin sing on the playground.  Though I’m upset to hear that someone actually pulled his hair!  That is not ok, do you understand me?  I don’t want to hear anything like that again, or I’ll have to get the principal in here, ok?” he says firmly, the class granting him various forms of approval, him noticing one particular boy in the back putting his head down in shame. 

Once the murmuring quieted down, he continued…  “Now, Gavin said he’ll sing the ABCs for us so you can all hear his voice, and then I expect everyone to give me their full attention again, ok?” he says, the class responding in unison with vibrant confirmations.

Carter nods, Gavin taking a nervous cough or two and closing his eyes tightly…

_I wonder how good he actually-_

“A…  B…  C… D…  E…  F…  G….”

His eyes grow wide, and Carter was taken aback.  Even with such a simple song, he sang it well, with a truly good harmony.  His tiny little voice didn’t crack or fall out of tune but once or twice, and there was some real potential there…  Carter wasn’t a master of music, but…  Well, he knew what he liked. 

“Q….  R….  S…..  T… U…  V….  W….  X….  Y…  and….  Z….  Now we know our ABCs…  Next time won’t you…  sing…  with me…” he says, the last few words having been especially focused on, as if the boy were singing to someone specifically.

The classroom claps loudly, and Gavin returned his eyes quickly to his feet, rushing back to his chair and hiding an incredibly red face in his shirt, his brothers all congratulating him wildly. 

Clenching his heart a bit, Carter felt really touched by that show of courage. _I can’t believe he did that…_

An infectious grin is plastered on his face, but he claps his hands quickly together.  “Ok now, we’ve heard the talented Mr. Free on his first live performance, so let’s go back to work shall we?”

Surprisingly enough, the children obey his earlier request, and Carter returns to his lesson quickly to avoid any unwanted attention or questions, but still unable to contain looking at Gavin, who seemed especially happy with himself.  He was lost in pleasant memories, Michael and Dan whispering in both his ears, Ray muttering something across the table.  Even the girls from across the room were waving wildly.  He didn’t bother getting the table’s attention or correcting their behavior. 

No…  Gavin deserved that personal victory.  Not like the theory of Cat and Rat rhyming was even remotely important in that moment anyway.  Some things in life were far more important.

~~~~

Caiti had elected to walk home that evening, packing a few minor things in her purse, readying herself to leave for the night.  She could have caught a cab, but the evenings were becoming less humid and less hot, so it was a welcome relief to get fresh air, especially considering the considerable stress they were all under.

Looking up in the sky as she walked out of the office building, she couldn’t help but notice the beautiful sunset, tearing up slightly, remembering how she and Courtney would take long walks like that in the evenings on their way home.  Now?  Well… 

_You’re all alone again…  You’ll never be anything to anyone, will you?_

Shaking her head, Caiti refused to allow herself to get sad.  Courtney was doing fantastic, and she’d already checked up on her that week.  There was no excuse for her to need to come over, let alone do anything work related.  The girl needed time to adjust with her new mom Kara, and she didn’t want to be in the way.

Still…

“Caiti?  Are you heading out?” Gus asks from her door, the woman completely missing his presence in the midst of her thoughts, jumping a bit.

“Oh!  Gus, I’m sorry.  Yes, I finished up finally…  Did the rest of the interviews go ok?  I was worried after your..  little outburst…” she says meekly, him laughing it off immediately.

“Please, if you think that’s me angry, you’re gonna have to get a tougher skin.  Anyway, I just wanted to say great job this last couple of weeks.  You’ve really stepped up, especially on the HomeHunter cases.  It’s not gone unnoticed Ms. Ward, and as your supervisor…  Well, I don’t say this very often but…  Very good work.  There are few people in this agency that I can say I completely trust, and you’re quickly becoming one of those people.  You’re reliable, strong, and someone I’m glad to have on my team.” He says, grinning big, granting her a RARE Gus compliment.

Her face gets a big smile on it immediately.  She’d..  Never been praised at work before…  Especially not…  Well, especially not back at her last job…

_Maybe…  Maybe I’m not such a failure after all…_

“Thank you Gus.  That means a lot to me!” she says, watching as the man nods, and slowly makes his way away from her.  He really was a nice man; she liked him, his grumpy attitude and all.

As she finished packing her things, she turns off the lights to her office, locks it up and begins slowly strolling through the senior staff hallway.  Waving goodbye to Barbara, she can’t help but sigh a little sadly at all the vacant offices now littering it.  She missed Joel and Kara, it just wasn’t the same without them anymore…

Turning the corner, she opens the doors that led into the long hallway towards the exit.  Though, it seemed livelier today than usual.

“HEY!  LET ME IN GODDAMMIT!  I NEED TO SPEAK WITH A BARBARA DUNKELMAN OR GUS SOROLA!” screams a very vocal young man, Caiti noticing he seemed rather distraught.  She couldn’t quite make out his face, a few of their security members busily shuffling him out.  It wasn’t uncommon for angry parents to try and get in, but..

_Those eyes…_

“Excuse me!  What is going on here young man?” Caiti says vocally, yet still with a firmness in her voice.  She briskly paces over to the scene, the man calming down immediately after being addressed.

“PLEASE.  I…  I HAVE to see Barbara Dunkelman.  I’ve been looking for someone connected to this kid for months!  PLEASE!  PLEASE HELP ME!” he says, still in a desperate voice, almost sobbing at this point..

_Those eyes…  I…  I have those same eyes…_

Caiti couldn’t help herself, and turns her face towards the security woman holding him in place.  “Please…  Let him go I’ll…  I’ll speak with him.  If he causes trouble, you can throw him out, but…  Let him speak first, we can talk in my office.” Caiti says, reaching her hand towards the man slowly, the guards not even remotely giving her any attention, continuing to pull him away.

“Ms. Ward, we don’t let anyone in back here without clearance, no exceptions.” The woman says, disregarding her immediately, the boy still flailing angrily in their arms.

_No…  Stop..  I…_

“EXCUSE ME?” Gus screams, having come onto the scene a few moments ago, stepping in front of Caiti, and staring the security officers directly in the eyes.  “When a senior staff member like Ms. Ward tells you to do something SIMPLE that might possibly be regarding our kids, I expect you to follow their directions to the letter, understood?” he says firmly, the guard nodding regrettably at her actions.

The boy is released brutally, and falls to the floor quickly, having been suspended in the air previously.  She sees as his trembling eyes soften, and a tear falling down them, grabbing the brightly colored glasses off the floor.

“Thank you…” he says, clearly shaken.

Caiti moves towards him, offering the man a hand, and pulling him up.

“Caiti Ward, senior staff of Child Protective Services.  How can I help you?” she says, smiling, watching as the man’s angry demeanor melts, his face beginning to gently smile, hope filling it slowly.

~~~~

The tropical villa just outside Orlando, Florida was sadly furnished with some of the tackiest looking decorations imaginable.  Doors were opened to the cooler, yet warm autumn breeze, the wind slowly blowing long white lace curtains on a back patio, where two men were busy speaking in hushed tones. 

“So you’re saying to me…  That despite all the resources that I have given to you, my son has STILL not been found?  Forgive me for my…  Bluntness when I ask…  My dear brother Luis, whom I trust more than anyone else in this world, why you could not find your own nephew, and why I don’t feed you to the buzzards by sunset…” Emilio calmly asks, letting a big puff of smoke escape his lips, rolling a thick cigar through his fingers.

The sunlight was clearly reflecting his face, his darkly tanned skin giving him a bronzed look.  He had a small, almost scrawny build, but with zero fat, and incredibly well trimmed and athletic looking.  In traditional tourist attire, a floral pattered shirt unbuttoned, revealing a rather impressive looking physique, with no undershirt in sight.  His shorts were just above his knees, revealing an equally muscular set of legs.  His solid black hair was short buzzed, almost a military cut.  Oddly enough, his eyes were solid red from contact lenses for his vision.  Luis hated them, but they…  Well, they certainly gave him an intimidating demeanor at all times.

“What exactly happened in Nevada Luis?  Hadn’t the tip you were given clearly stated seeing a small Hispanic child by the name of Ray?  Why else would you have gone all the way out there?” he continues, his angry tone now unmasked completely. 

Luis bits his inner lips quietly.

~

_“Excuse me son… But..  Is your name Ray Narvaez?” Luis asks, seeing the boy turn around quickly._

_“No!  I’m Ray Ramsey, and you’re a stranger!  GO AWAY!  DADDY!!!!” he screams, running away from Luis quickly, and into another man’s arms on the opposite side of the park in a fast pace.  The other man was big, tall, with a red beard and with another small child in his arms._

_“HEY!  Who are you!?  What did you do to my son!?” the man screams, reaching down to grab Narvaez Jr, checking him over in rushed detail, Ray giving Luis a deathly stare that matched his old man’s._

_Luis notices that the boy is clutching the other man’s hand as hard as he could, and…  Had called him Daddy.  Was…  Was this what Madeline had really wanted for him?  To grow up in a strange place, with a different family?  He supposed it wasn’t his place to say, he wasn’t the boy’s father…  And…  Well…  Emilio clearly wasn’t what the boy needed for a peaceful life.  If given his own opportunity to grow outside of the Narvaez Family…  He’d take it…  Quickly._

_“My apologies sir, I thought I recognized your son as one of my little cousins.  I really didn’t mean to frighten him, I’m so sorry!!!  ” he says politely, bowing and walking away swiftly._

_The man seems to think nothing of the situation, praising Ray for his quick thinking, but still rushing them away quickly towards a large van, giving him many suspicious glances._

_Good…_

_The child was in somewhat capable hands, though…_

_He had to be sure…_

_Luis could probably spare a few more days…_

_Just to be sure._

_For Madeline, and little Ray…_

_~_

“Emilio…  Whatever Madeline did with your son, it’s likely that we’ll not find him easily.  She was part of the Narvaez family for years, and is just as talented as any of us are at making people disappear, in one way or another…  The thought had not crossed my mind, but she could have very well gone to the authorities or another syndicate family.  In which case…  He might very well be in witness protection or in the underground, out of our reach for years.  We don’t have resources or pull like the cartel Emilio, these things…  Take time my brother, or something to happen from a slip-up.  I have NO intention of giving up.  I want my little nephew back in my arms as much as you do.  I’d do anything for that child, ANYTHING.” He says respectfully and fiercely, bowing firmly before his brother, not looking him in the eyes.

Emilio sighs loudly.  “I suppose I can’t be too angry with you Luis…  After all…  All though years ago, you gave over the rule of the family to me, allowing us to have our first bloodless rite of passage in decades…”

He exhales quietly, feeling a tad relieved.

“And yet…  This creates a terrible problem for us, one which a lack of a suitable son makes difficult for me to come to terms with…” Emilio says, Luis shaking nervously.

“Who…Brother…  Will partake our family rite at sixteen?  I need a new heir to properly train for our world, and cannot merely have another child at this point…I need..  One of our family’s blood, if you understand what I mean…” Emilio ponders sinisterly.

Luis’s heart and body freezes, the breeze now sending goosebumps down his body.

“Your little girl…  Mia?  Why…  I do believe she would be the closest blood relation to Ray, would she not?  I’m sure you are not opposed to the idea, of course.  Or perhaps…  This might hasten your search a bit…” he mutters, grinning ear to ear.

He does not look at his brother.  Merely nodding his head.  “Yes…  Yes sir…”

~~~~~

It was another school night, but all the HomeHunters from both homes were having a big dinner together again.  Why not?  The kids loved it, and they all did well together.  Besides, Joel was a hell of a chef (years of “bacheloring it up”, per his words), putting both Jack and Geoff to utter shame.  He’d ruined their boys, much to their utter dismay.  They only wanted Uncle Joel to cook anymore, and the man wouldn’t NOT bring that up every chance he got.  Narcissistic asshole…

Hell, even Miles and Kerry joined in most nights, being great companions for Ryan, Elena always playing chauffer between the houses without even a second thought.  Though…  Miles seemed a tad distant lately, not his usual snarky self. 

Everyone was a tad scattered that night, with only Ryan, his friends, Gavin and Dan in the living room.  Ryan, Kerry and Miles were working on some academic club that they had been invited to join from Ryan’s math teacher.  Dan and Gavin were getting read to on the couch, Jack reading them the latest in Harry Potter’s escapades, catching Dan up. 

“Dinner in fifteen minutes kids!” he screams, an aroma of Italian pastas and slowly baking bread wafting through the air, making Geoff’s stomach growl immediately. 

“Ryan!  Would you go drag Michael and Lindsay away from the Nintendo?  Kerry, can you go get Kara, lover boy and Courtney out of their garden? And Miles…. Wanna help me set the table?” he asks, the older boys looking away from Kerry’s mess of papers, each nodding.  Ryan and Kerry rush off, Miles coming quickly to his side, taking a stack of plates, and helping place them around the table eagerly.

Outside of everyone’s range of hearing, he pats Miles on the shoulder, giving him a talk like Rebecca had asked.

“So..  Miles, you…  Seem a little down lately…  Everything at school ok?  I’m here for you if you need anything, you know that right?  I’m not just your friend’s dad, I’m your friend too, and I went through a lot of stuff when I was your age too.  So…  If you want to talk I’m here for you, day or night.” he asks, the boy looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

“I…”

DING

He gets distracted a moment, patting Miles on the shoulder again. “Hold that thought kiddo, I’m all ears, I swear.  Just…  That door doesn’t have a good rap around here, if you’ll remember…” he says, winking, Miles smirking a bit from that.

Taking the few steps from the kitchen table, he swings it open.  Answering it, Geoff is confronted by a thin Hispanic man with bright yellow glasses facing him, in a very fancy looking attire, almost like some summer looking business vest, breathing very hard, clearly a nervous wreck.

“Oh, please excuse me sir, I know it’s very late, and I’m so sorry to bother you, but..  I’ve…  I’ve been looking and calling around the state agencies for so long…  I finally…  Well…  A Ms. Ward told me in person today…  Well..  I’m looking for a child named Gavin Free…  He’s my-“ the man says quickly, in a panicked fervor.

“CAMERON!” Gavin screams at the top of his lungs, in an excitement and volume Geoff had never expected to EVER come from the child, lunging out of Jack’s lap with the force of an Olympic Diver and SPRINTING towards the front door, pushing Geoff out of the way, and hugging the strange looking man’s leg as tightly as he can. 

“YOU CAME BACK CAMERON!  JUST LIKE YOU PROMISED!  I MISSED YOU!” Gavin says, almost squealing at the sight of him, more elated than Geoff had ever seen the small boy in his entire time of knowing him.

_GAVIN?!  Where on earth did THAT come from?!_

The man is a sobbing mess, returning the hug with and equal amount of voice as he slowly bends down.  “Oh Gavin…  I thought I’d lost you forever…  Never again…  I promise…” he says, Gavin pulling away from the hug, yanking the “Cameron” into the house.

“COME IN!  I want you to meet my new brothers, my friends, my Auntie Kara and Grandpa Jay, and my new daddies!” he says excitedly, the man drug by the excited little child, everyone staring at him, but even more so…  Staring at Gavin..

 _Who…  Is this man…?_ Geoff wonders painfully.

 


	12. Cameron's Song

Jack wasn’t quite sure what to be the most surprised about.  The fact that a blast from his past, Cameron Collins, was in his home, the fact that his nearly mute and horrendously shy son had been excitedly introducing said man to everyone in a loud and cheery voice since before dinner, or the fact that Joel was indeed the world’s greatest chef.  Taking another big bite of his plate, he decided the third one was the far most shocking.

After the introductions and passing of food around, Jack, Gavin, Michael and Cameron took to the dining table, the adults, other kids and teens staring at them in anticipation from the living room, trying desperately to hear the full scoop, while pretending to eat their dinners.  

“And Mr. Reed is my teacher at school!  He let me sing yesterday in front of the whole class like Isaac! I was real scared, but closed my eyes real tight and pretended like it was us three singing again!” Gavin says loudly.  

Or perhaps they were staring at Gavin, who had not stop talking since the man walked in the door.  Then again, considering Gavin spoke less than a dog, it was a welcome change.

Cameron gave him a big grin, ruffling his hair and handing him a napkin, the boy’s mouth covered in pasta sauce, wiping it off.   “That’s wonderful Gavin!  I’m so glad to see you still like singing.  Isaac is probably really proud!” he replies cheerfully.

Cameron Collins...  Who was he to Gavin?  And how did he know him?  He'd been the lead in pretty much every play Jack directed for the drama club at his old school.  He was an easy one to remember, such a passionate person, full of life and the art of dramatizing.  Cameron was the kind of kid that he'd love Gavin to be like.  Happy, strong, optimistic, and with plenty of love to give to the world.

But...  Why was he there?  None of them could get a word in edgewise, and there was just an overall awkwardness.

Michael, thankfully, pitches in for the team, demolishing the elephant in the room with narry a care in the world.  

“So Gabbin, how do you know Cameron?  I’ve never seen him before!” he asks, sticking a huge chunk of bread in his mouth and cracking it loudly.  The boy could use some lessons in dining ettqiute.  

All eyes return to Gavin, who was quickly chewing his food, there an intense silence filling the room until he finally gulps it down.

“Cameron was my brother Isaac’s boyfriend!  They were gonna get married and I was gonna go live with them since Mommy didn’t want me.  But...  Then bruv died, and Mommy wouldn’t let him come over anymore, so I missed him lots.” he answers, looking back up at Cameron a little saddened by his own words.  The room’s adults looked at both of the boys in pity, Cameron  clearing his throat a bit.  

“Yes...  I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get to introduce myself, I sort of let Gavin take care of that I suppose...  My name is Cameron Collins, and I was...  The...  Fiance’ of Issac Free, Gavin’s older brother.  I knew Gavin since he was born, and I’ve always just felt like a part of the Free family.  So...  After I heard about the accident, I had to find him..” he says, gently playing with a small ring around his neck, held by a thin silver chain.

Jack inhaled quickly, trying to place THAT face, his own stricken in panic.  

 _Isaac..._   _That name..._

Cameron's boyfriend from high school had been captain of the soccer team, real popular, and always did musicals with the drama club, he had a hell of a lot of talent with his voice.  Jack had always been impressed,  but he was such a quiet person compared to Cameron that...  He’d never really made a lasting impression to him... 

He watches as he son finishes his plate, and then returns immediately to Cameron’s lap where he’d been staying the entire night, hugging him tightly, the man not minding in the least, looking genuinely relieved to have Gavin there.

It was then...  When Gavin turned his face, and it stood side by side with Cameron's that it clicked fully.

There it was...  That polite young man, the one with the dark brown hair and the radiating smile.  The one with the angelic voice...  Gavin looked so much like him, it was uncanny...

“I know this must be odd to show up out of the blue without even calling but...  I just...” Cameron starts, taking a deep breath to calm down.

“When I heard about the accident months ago, I tried calling everyone and everything I could think of.  I wanted to take Gavin in immediately since I knew he had no-one left in this country, but there was some big hush hush about him being in some new program that went outside the typical foster situations.  They wouldn’t tell me ANYTHING.  All people would say is that I’d have to get a lawyer or get in contact personally with the department in charge.  Which...  Of course nobody would tell me where it was located!  Finally, I saw in the paper about the “HomeHunter” program, and it clicked with me.  So I went to the local agency, where a Ms. Caiti Ward instructed me about your whereabouts.  She escorted me with a police officer, but I suppose she’s long gone by now...” he finishes, attempting to fix Gavin’s messy hair.

Gavin’s face lit up.  “Cameron!?  I can go live with you?!!?  We can be a family again!?” Gavin asks excitedly, hugging him even more tightly.

Nails dig painfully into Jack’s chest, and Michael’s face drops like a ton of bricks.  The whole room’s atmosphere turns quickly from one of happy joy into one of painful hurt.

Geoff stands up in the living room, attempting to draw attention to himself.  “Joel, your food was magnificent, and you’re going to make us all fat you devious man...  I think we should call it a night though, everyone has school in the morning!” he says firmly, the kids groaning loudly.

As feet and bodies begin to shuffle around noisily, Jack notices Michael sniffing a lot.

“Hey?  You ok buddy?” Jack asks, putting his hand on Michael’s shoulder, the boy slapping it away immediately.  

“I’M FINE JACKIE.  JUST FINE.” he yells, looking up at Gavin square in the face.  “HAVE FUN GABBIN!  SEE YOU LATER!” he says angrily in a harsh voice, dashing off quickly into the hallway, Jack unable to catch him by the arm.

~

Gavin cocks his head to the side, not sure why everyone seemed so upset now, especially Michael…

_Why’s Michael all mad for?  He’d come too, wouldn’t he?_

\----------

At his insistence, Geoff dropped Kerry off himself, and called Rebecca to give them a little more time alone.  Ryan was with them, but knocked out asleep (the boy did not do well in cars…), and the three of them parked just outside the docks of a nearby lake.

It was pitch black, but the full moons light giving them plenty of visibility.  

"Wanna take a quick walk?  Sorry, our little soap opera at home cut our conversation short tonight." He asks, turning to Miles.  Miles is quiet for a few moments, but eventually nods his head.  They exit the van, the cooler night air hitting them both.  

Geoff and Miles walk side by side for a bit, Miles taking the lead and going down the length of the wooden walkway stopping at the edge of the dock, overlooking the water’s edge.

"I hate Ryan.  So much..." Miles says after a few silent minutes.  

Geoff doesn't say anything, and instead sits down, taking off his shoes, and dangling his legs in the water.  It was freezing, much to his dismay.  

"I would give anything to be in his shoes...  And...  Have a family like his.    To be so freakishly smart like him...  To...  To...  Have a dad like you...  And be happy." He admits, his voice bitter and harsh with jealously, but also pained.

Geoff watches as Miles sits next to him, chucking his own expensive sneakers off, and attempting to do as Geoff had done, his shorter legs just barely missing the water's edge.  He tried for a few seconds to dunk his feet in with Geoff, but unable to find the length.  

"I wouldn't.  The water's cold.  I know I certainly regret putting them in now… " He says, Miles folding his arms in frustration.

"Is this about your dad coming home?  Ryan said you were nervous about it, and haven’t been doing well the last couple of weeks.  I can say that...  well, I can see it too." Geoff mutters, Miles not responding.  

Geoff puts his hand on Miles’s leg and grips it.  “You can tell me anything kiddo.  I mean that...  If I’m not going to yell at you for hating my son, I’m probably not going to yell at you for much of anything…” he says, Miles biting his lip harshly, Geoff seeing its redness almost draw blood.

“It…  It all started when dad came home…” he begins a few moments later.

~

_It was late in the evening, and Miles was in his well-furnished and well stocked bedroom.  His sheets were of fine Egyptian cotton, his furniture the best of the best from the top line stores, and his computer was brand new, and could play any game he wanted.  His bookshelves were fully stocked, filled to the brim with all kinds of computers, video games, books and movies.  Though all of it was generally untouched._

_It had been a few days since he’d told his dad...  About the tryouts..._

_There he was, sitting up in his bedroom, shirtless and trying his best to sleep in the hot room, which was impossible..  Even for early October, Austin was still hot…  When his dad was there, the A/C only got turned on when he thought it was necessary.  Apparently...  His hallway wasn’t necessary anymore._

_Miles had been chanting a mantra to himself, knowing all the shit would be over soon enough…  ”Just a few more hours Miles…  Then he’ll be gone, and you can go back to normal…  Just a few more hours Miles…  Then he’ll be gone, and-“_

_The door opens quickly, and Miles is taken by surprise to see his father there.  Though he was already sitting up, Miles adjusted his posture slightly to straighten up, as to not slouch._

_“Last chance boy.  You know the deal.” Kyle says quickly._

_His father was leaving the next day, and...  Had given Miles an ultimatum..._

_He sat there, but eventually bowed his head, looking down at his feet painfully._

_“No.  I’m...  I’m not going to change.  I'm not going to be something I'm not the rest of my life.” he says painfully, still not looking up, trying his hardest to be firm in his words._

_Kyle sighs and turns away from his son._

_“Then find somewhere else to go.  You’re no longer welcome here until you decide to grow up...  I expect you to be gone by the time I return this winter.  Tell your mother any of this, and I’ll leave her without a second thought.  Surely you’re not THAT cruel to shame both your parents...  Besides, this is YOUR punishment.  I want you to see how “bad” you think you really have it, and you'll see my point!” he says politely and in a calm tone, and shuts the door behind him without another word._

_Miles doesn’t move from the spot, just gripping his feet tightly where he sat... Letting his nails dig into his flesh._

_“He’s…  Serious?!  W...w...where do I go?”_

~

Geoff’s eyes widen, and he finds it hard to breathe for a moment or two.  Rebecca...  She had no idea, and...  Here her son was...  Suffering so quietly, scared out of his mind...

"I hate him...  He makes me feel like shit...  He doesn't hit me, but I think that's worse...  I'd rather him hit me Mr. Ramsey...  At least then he'd...  Acknowledge me.." Miles chokes, still holding back tears.  He could tell the boy was clearly embarrassed by all of this, but...  Just needed someone to care...

"I feel like an ass too...  Gavin tonight lost ALL of that, but there he was...  Talking along with that Cameron guy, happy as can be.  Michael's dad was a TON worse than mine, but there he was, going on with his life like nothing’s wrong!...  Even Ray, who doesn't have EITHER of his parents...  That boy never seems unhappy...  then there's Ryan who never once complained his whole life, even when he was probably starving to death.  I'm a spoiled brat... I don't deserve you guys..." He says angrily at himself.

Geoff sticks his arm out and pulls Miles in for a one armed hug, the boy’s toes skirting the water slightly.  

"Miles...  Everyone, and I mean everyone in this world has something bad in their lives.  We can’t compare it to one and other, it’s just not possible.  But more than that...  Miles...  You’ve...  You’ve been hurt just as much as any of those kids.  I…”

Geoff pauses, shaking his head.

“If you need a place to go, you can always stay with us, you don't even have to ask!  Ryan’s room is pretty big and-“

He shakes his head.  “NO.  I can’t live with you guys, don’t even ask!  You don’t have to deal with me Mr. Ramsey, it’s not fair!  I should have just sucked it up and done what my dad asked and not been such a little disrespecting little shit...  There’s still time!  I can just call him and tell him-

“You really are an idiot, you know that!?” Ryan screams from behind them.

They both turn, seeing a very awake Ryan standing angrily behind them.  “Don’t you dare do what that asshole says Miles!  That man is NOT a father if he’d just let you go THAT easily!  Just because you don’t play sports or want to be all manly-manly like is?  WHO DOES THAT?! ” he screams, taking more steps towards them, finally coming within touching distance of them.

Miles stands up from the dock quickly, releasing himself from Geoff’s hug, staring down his friend intensely.  

“Shut up Ryan!  You don’t have to pretend to like me!  I know I’m an asshole!  JUST SAY IT ALREADY!  I’M SURE YOU GET REAL SICK OF HAVING SUCH A BRAT AS A FRIEND!” he screams, Ryan not backing down anytime soon.

“YES, YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE MILES!  BUT THAT’S WHY WE LIKE YOU!  YOU’RE NOT AN ASSHOLE FOR HAVING A SHITTY DAD AND NOT LIKING IT, YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE FOR IMPERSONATING BANE ALL THE DAMN TIME!” he screams back, Miles shoving him backwards.

“I DO NOT HAVE A SHITTY DAD RYAN!  I’M JUST A SHITTY KID!” he fires back, Ryan taking his turn to shove his friend back.

“LET MY DAD HELP YOU MILES!” Ryan vocally hurls, grabbing Miles by the shoulders, not letting him brush past him, the two beginning to push each other back and forth.

“I DON’T NEED HIS HELP RYAN!  DON’T NEED ANYONE!  JUST LET ME GO ALREADY!  I’M CALLING MY DAD AND-!” he screams back, the two of them starting to really get at it now.

Geoff stands up and begins walking towards them, his feet dripping wet from the water.

“Boys, stop this!  I don’t want-“

“MILES, I DON’T WANT YOU TO BE LIKE ME!  IT’S NOT YOUR FUCKING FAULT YOUR DAD IS A FUCKING DOUCHEBAG, SO LISTEN TO US!!” he says, grabbing Miles with all his strength grabbing his shirt tightly and throwing him headfirst into the lake, a loud splash echoing in the area, several ducks and birds squawking in retaliation, Geoff looking hard into his son’s eyes.  The darkness obscured them, but the moonlight didn’t lie...  He was crying.  

Miles pops his head out of it, giving Ryan a questioning stare, out of breath from his nighttime plunge into the chilled water, reaching for his hands.

“Miles..  I sat in my shitty life since I was FIVE.  I always thought it would get better, but guess what?  IT DIDN’T!  If you or Kerry knew about how bad my life was, would you have even waited a SECOND to pull me out?  NO!  So don’t pull the martyr shit with me, that is SO not going to fly with me.  Your dad is hurting you, and that’s all I need to know.  He cares so little about you that he’s throwing you out on the streets, and doesn’t even care!  It’s not your damn fault Miles…  I promise you…  It’s not!” he says getting choked up, finally offering his friend a hand, and pulling him out of the water slowly.

Miles flops down on the boards on his back, soaked to the bone in the dirty water.  The boy then spits water out of his mouth hard, hitting Ryan square in the face.

Geoff couldn’t help himself.  He laughed.  He laughed...  HARD.

Ryan turned to him, giving him an incredulous look.  “WHAT?  I can punch you square in the face, but you think it’s not ok for me to take my very best friend swimming?” he says in an irritated tone.

“You punched your dad?  What the hell Ryan?” Miles says, now getting his own fun smile back, his body feeling a little lighter and relieved.

Calming down, Geoff sits down between the two of them.  “So, let’s talk about this.  For real Miles...Unless, of course, you’d like to go for another dunk, courtesy of Ryan?” he asks, Miles shaking his head in dramatized fear.

  
\------

The first thing anyone would notice about the Denecour apartment was that it was very unlit.  The only light provided in the entire house was furnished by a single wide screen television set, but was enough for the two men sitting passively in the room.  The apartment had two bedrooms, a single bathroom, and a fairly spacious living space and kitchen.  In a small hole just outside of town, it was the perfect place for people to...  Well, disappear..  Which is exactly what Caleb and his father had wanted all those years ago...  

The room went silent as a man in his early forties mutest the television set, and clearing his throat   Despite his age, he was already graying significantly in his copper hair, and had many lines of wrinkles across his face.  He was thin, clearly underweight.

“Son...  you busy next week?  I thought...  Well, I thought we might go do something...  I could probably take off work and we could go and -” the man says, pausing awkwardly between each thought, almost unsure of how to speak to his own son.

“I’m busy dad.  Booked Monday through Friday every night.  It’s the HomeHunters too, so I want to make a good impression.  They might be a big company some day, a good reference if my business actually takes off...” he says, cutting his father off immediately, not out of spite or disrespect, he just was genuinely focused on his work, deep in thought.

Sitting in the evening, Caleb was catching up on homework, glad to have a night off from his rather thriving childcare service.  What had started as him at age fourteen just trying to help pay the bills (neighbors being nice and taking pity on him) had turned into him getting certification from the Red Cross and starting a miniature business with the Department of Child Protective Services.  One of his brother’s old caseworkers got him an in with foster parents that couldn't find sitters willing to deal with problem kids, and he was widely regarding as one of the best after that.  There usually wasn’t a night he wasn’t working, he was in high demand.    

"Oh!  sorry, I guess you are a busy young man these days...  Well...  I guess I'm going to bed Caleb...  It was good seeing you tonight, son.  But…  We’re not as bad off as we were…  You don't have to work so hard, and if you want to save up for something like a car…  Or…  A game or something…  Don’t feel bad...  Though...  I am proud of you.  You’re turning into a fine man." He says awkwardly, patting his son on the shoulder as he walks through the living room, Caleb not averting his eyes from his work or saying much of anything in response.  He’d ignored the words completely, it all just a mindless white noise distracting him from his work.

As he continues his paper, there's a buzz to Caleb's side.  A new message popped up on his cheap flip phone.  

 

(Unread 38 Messages)

-man, what is up w/you?  Call me.  Me & you Friday.  -Jordan

Caleb shakes his head, throwing it to his side without giving it a second thought.  He didn’t have time to deal with Jordan’s latest party or whatever other shit he was doing.  There were more important things for him to do.  Like planning how to deal with three small children daily for a solid week and still maintaining his grades.

\------

Michael had locked his room, and was sitting angrily on his bed.  Over the months since he moved in, it had managed to get a little personality to it.  Jackie painted it blue for him like he wanted, and Daddy bought him some toys and a punching bag.  He liked the punching bag, it was fun to hit things and not hurt anyone.  Michael got it after he beat up Dan’s daddy, Geoff saying to use that if he wanted to go full Mogar on something.

In fact, it was exactly what he needed right then, his little hands hitting the dangling black sack of sand as hard as they could, the skin already feeling sore.    

“Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid…. " he says, tiring himself out and plopping down on the floor.

_Why’d you have to yell at Gabbin like that dummy?  Now he really will leave…  At least he has family…  I’m glad he…  He gets to have a home again…_

Michael begins tearing up, shaking his head angrily not wanting to cry, and hearing his door open slightly, turning his head away from it.

“NOT NOW DADDY.  I LOCKED IT FOR A REASON!” he yells, not in the mood to talk right then.  He would later, but…  After everyone was in bed…  After Gavin went home…  Then he’d go talk to Jackie…  Jackie would know what to say… 

 “So you’re just going to give up?  Just like that?”   Let your best friend and brother walk out of your life without so much as a fight?  That doesn’t sound like the Michael I know…”  a voice says, Michael snarling his nose in response.

“Don’t care!” he says in response, folding his arms and being too stubborn to look at who he’s talking to.  The voice…  Sounded a bit unfamiliar though.

“Oh?  But I think you do care Michael.  I think you care a lot…  Didn’t you promise to protect him?” the voice says again, Michael shaking his head in response, his expression still stubborn.

“Doesn’t matter.  He don’t need me no more, he got Cameron now.  We don’t have to be friends anymore if he don’t wanna.” He replies, feeling very lonely and very angr right then, not wanting to deal with whoever was talking to him.

_I wonder when Lindsay won’t need me no more…  She’s got Dan now as a brother…  I’m sure they’re GREAT friends already…_

“I don’t think it works like that Michael.  If you’re friends, if you’re a family…  Then they’ll ALWAYS need you, no matter where you are in life.  Besides, you were the one that gave Gavin his voice back.  I think he owes YOU, not the other way around…  Friendship isn’t a one way street young man.  It’s a give and take Michael, and…  Well, Gavin has to give some too!  Just ask him for it.  or take it.  Gavin's a little bit of a pushover.”

Michael’s brain goes into shock. 

_GABBIN HAS TO BE A FRIEND TOO!_

He stands up immediately and rushes to the door, which was now shut and locked for some reason.  “YOU’RE RIGHT!  THAT DUMMY GABBIN OWES ME!  I KNOW JUST HOW TO GET IT FROM HIM TOO!”

He finally unlocks the door, and swings open the room.

  “Thanks Da-“

Opening the door up, he realizes that there’s nobody there.  He looks up and down the hallway, but nobody was there either!

He growls a bit.  “WHATEVER!” He says clearly annoyed, shaking his head and rushing back into Gavin’s room as fast as his legs can carry him.

\------

 

After Michael’s dramatic exit and Geoff getting everyone back to their homes, the living room was soon only occupied by Jack, Ray, Michael, Cameron and Gavin.  

Nobody had brought up the question again since during dinner, but it was certainly on everyone’s mind.  Jack was petrified of the answer, but it had to be asked…

HomeHunters got a lot of freedom from most of the system, especially in the way that kids can’t be taken out of it by force from their parents.  However…  Children can opt out at any time they desire…

Meaning it was Gavin’s choice what he wanted, and if Cameron was a good enough-

“Gavin...  I know you asked to come live with me, but.. I think you should stay here.” Cameron says, his expression sincere and bright, but Gavin’s looking truly hurt.

Jack inhales quickly, looking up at the man, his thoughts cut off very quickly.. 

“You...  You don’t want me?!” he shoots back, looking crestfallen and broken.

Cameron shakes his head immediately.  “NO GAVIN.  I love you more than anyone else in this whole world right now.  You really are like my little brother or maybe even like a son...  But...  Gavin, don’t you see what you have here?” he asks, Gavin turning his head up, wiping the tears out of his eyes, shaking his head.

Jack watched as Cameron pointed out everyone in the house, not the least bit upset, but actually very happy himself.  

“You’ve got something here that I can’t give you Gavin, something really special.  You have a brother who’s probably crying and angry in the other room because he doesn’t want you to leave.  You have little Ray here who’s been by your side all night, trying to be so happy for you!  Besides, you haven’t stopped talking to me about your new dads and school and all sorts of fun stories and games you play around here!  Would you REALLY want to leave them?  Even for me?  They’re more of a family than you’ve ever had buddy, and for me to take that away from you would be...  Well, too cruel.  I can’t do that to you Gavin, this is where you belong.  I have never seen you happier in my life, and I want that to continue.  I know it’s what Isaac wants too.  That was his whole reason in living, you know…  Making you and me happy, and…  I want to carry that legacy on, and…  This is how I have to do it.” Cameron finishes, patting Gavin on the head. 

Gavin looked at the room into everyone’s nodding heads, still very shaky and upset, but calming down slowly.

“OH!  Daddy wouldn’t come with us…  Or Michael…  Or…  anyone…It…  Would just be me…” he says, frowning sadly.  The boy had obviously not thought through the situation in its entirety.

“But Cameron, I want-” he starts, Cameron shushing him immediately.

“....  But most importantly...  You’ve got me too now!  I’m not leaving you forever Gavin.  I know exactly where you’re at now, and if you dads will let me, I’d love to be a part of your life.  I’m just a phone call away now, and when I finish school this spring, I’ll move down here faster than you can say spatula!” he finishes, looking up hopefully at Jack.

Relief washes over Jack’s body, and he nods.  Standing up, Jack makes his way over to the couch they were sitting at, picking a sleepy looking Ray up and taking the seat next to Cameron and Gavin, sitting Ray on his lap.  

“I do hope you stay Gavin...  It wouldn’t be home anymore without you, and I’d really miss you.  Geoff too.  And we can take really good care of you, and Cameron can come visit whenever he wants to!  Then we can all be a big happy family!” Jack says excitedly.

Gavin seems a bit relieved from the news, collapsing back into Cameron’s shoulders and closing his eyes.  “Good, cuz…  I don’t wanna lose anyone…  Anymore…  But…  Can...  Can you stay the night Cameron?  Please?  I haven’t seen you in forever…” he asks painfully, a few stray tears going down his face.

Cameron smiles.  “Of course Gavin, I’ll-“

 “GABBIN YOU CAN’T LEAVE!” Michael says interrupting the man’s thoughts rudely, rushing back into the room angrily, holding Gavin’s bear as tightly as he could, the leather-bound RWBY book under his arm.  

“I GOT YOUR TEDDY AND YOUR FAVORITE BOOK, AND YOU CAN’T HAVE THEM BACK UNLESS YOU STAY!  GOT IT!?  I DON’T WANT YOU TO LEAVE!  YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND GABBIN, AND…  YOU CAN’T GO!” he screams intimidatingly, but clearly saddened by the whole thing.

Jack snorts as Gavin just gives him a blank look.

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere Michael.  Can I see the book please?!  I wanna show Cameron my new favorite story!” he says nicely, holding his hands out in a grabbing motion. 

Michael blinks a couple of times, and his glasses fall down the bridge of his nose.  “Uh…  You’re not?”

Gavin shakes his head.  “Nope!  Cameron is gonna come visit me instead!  I didn’t know I’d have to go away from all of you!  I’d never want to leave Daddy, Dad, you, Ryan and Ray!  It’s fun here, and I love it!” he says excitedly, hopping off Cameron’s lap and making his way quickly towards Michael.  He takes the book and bear effortlessly out of a surprised Michael’s hands, hugging him, and rushing back to the couch.

“Thank you Michael!” Gavin says politely, cracking open the book for Cameron, sticking his Teddy beside them, making Jack unable to contain his laugher at Michael’s failed hostage attempt.

\------

The home of Carter Reed was far from extraordinary.  A one bedroom and living room apartment roughly the size of a trailer home, it only came furnished with the most basic of necessities.  A dresser full with clothes,  a large and comfortable bed with red satin sheets, topped with a home-sewn quilt, and a large desk with three monitors and a modern (expensive) computer at his disposal.  To many, it would appear far too small to be remotely comfortable, but Carter made the most of it.  

Carter let out a deep sigh.    Before him on-screen were the lesson plans for the rest of the week, uninteresting and droll.  Still, he was passionate about teaching and working with kids, so there was more work put into that than nearly any other teacher there.  To the left was some internet video he’d been passively watching, and to the right...  Well, was his regular desktop screen, a company photo from years past.  It was him, several years younger with Geoff, Jack, Kara, Barbara, Joel and Gus.  It was right before the incident, his “goodbye” party just before left for an upper-level department, heading on up to the Senior Staff.

Those...  Those were some of the happiest times of his life..  A shame they...  Had to go away so soon.  

Carter lets out a deep sigh, shaking his head and standing up from the computer.  

“No need for bad thoughts Carter.  Remember, you’ve got other kids that need you now...” he says to himself, making his way towards the kitchen for a short break..  

BZZZ BZZZZ

He feels his pocket buzzing, and he pulls out his cell phone.

_I need the homehunter address for next week.  do you have it?  kara won’t pick up - Caleb_

Carter smiled.  He supposed that this was the only service he’d ever be able to provide the poor child, a small recompense for his stupid actions all those years ago.  Not that it even came close, but still...  Giving Caleb his desired connection into their world was all he could do, and maybe...  Well..  

~

_Another end to another busy day, Carter is happily reclining in his favorite chair in his office, smiling big as the sunset outside colored it an odd shade of pinkish red._

_Since becoming his new department’s vice-director, things were going fantastically.  Paperwork was flowing like it should be, people were constantly praising him and his great works.  The former director of his department, Mr. James Reel had finally retired, leaving open a spot that many believed he was best suited for._

_For all the attention he got though (as nice as it was), he still cared about his kids first and foremost.  Even if offered the position (which he was expecting any day now), he would decline it, since he’d no longer directly work with children, instead being a paper-pusher and organizer of the employees._

_No..  That wasn’t what he wanted.._

_His office phone begins ringing in the loud and irritating tone that most mutli-conference phones did, him answering it solely to get the blaring to stop._

_“Carter Reed, CPS Vice-Director, how may I help you?” he says officially, not minding to take some after-hour calls._

_He hears a male sobbing on the other end, and he adjusts his face and tone accordingly._

_“Sir, is everything all right?  Can I have your name?” Carter asks worriedly, readying his things to leave immediately if there had been some trouble in a home.  It wasn’t uncommon for foster parents to want to give the children back, or sometimes the children would become unruly and not adjust properly._

_The man on the other end of the line chokes up.  “Carter...  It’s Mark Denecour...  There....  There’s been an accident....”_

_Carter takes in a deep breath, holding it.  The Denecours had been one of the best foster families he’d ever had, and there had never been ANY trouble with them in the slightest.  Despite having their own young child, they had taken in a handful of younger ones over the years, and had been quite a happy family of six._

_“Mark, what happened?  Is everyone alright?” he asks quickly, his heart now racing._

_There’s another loud sob.  “Carol...  She...  She...  She ran her car off the road...  Into a wall...  The kids...  They’re....  They’re gone....  She’s...  She’s not doing well either, they don’t know if she’’l....  She’ll... Make it....” he answers shakily, Carter hearing another small child sobbing over the phone._

_Carter’s heart drops into his stomach, him suddenly feeling extremely ill.  Samuel, Lisa, Gregory and little Caleb...  N...  No...._

_“The police already said...  It couldn’t have been an accident....  The witnesess...  They said...  They said the car just JERKED into it...  If Caleb had been there with her...  I don’t...  They’d all be gone!  I just..  I don’t..  I don’t believe this...  It can’t...“ he starts, sobbing again into the phone._

_He can’t find his words, just standing there in stunned silence, listening to the man sob over the phone, the red light of sunset glowing in his office now making his skin crawl painfully._

_“I’M SORRY DADDY!  MAKE THEM COME BACK!  I GOTTA APOLOGIZE TO SAMMY!  I DIDN’T MEAN TO CALL HIM A BUTTHEAD AND MAKE HIM CRY!!  PLEASE!  LET ME SEE HIM!  I WON’T GO OVER TO JORDAN’S ANYMORE WITHOUT HIM!  I PROMISE!  PLEASE DADDY!” a small boy’s voice screams, Carter immediately recognizing him as Caleb.._

_He knew then in an instant...  Carter would never be able to un-hear those words..._

~

“Maybe...  Maybe you’ll see it wasn’t your fault...And maybe...  You can move on someday...” he says hopefully, rapidly typing away on his phone.     

_I’ll send you Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Patillo’s contact.  Just give one of them a call sometime after school, and he’ll take you to the house and give you a ride home in the evenings.  If anything comes up, call me, and I’ll give you a lift.  Good luck with the kids, they’ll be a handful!_

_-Attached Contact: <Geoff> <Jack>_

A few moments later, he gets a swift reply.

_thx carter._

\------

The household had finally calmed down since the after dinner fiasco.  Michael and Ray both went to bed peacefully after hearing Gavin promise he’d be staying, both of them insanely relieved.  

Gavin didn’t leave Cameron’s side though, the two catching up on so much, Jack not having the heart to make him go to bed.  Heck, he’d probably let him skip school the next day if he wanted, this was a big deal for him. 

Though the boy **had** finally fallen asleep, snoring softly in Cameron’s shoulders, unable to fight off sleep any longer as Cameron and him sung an oddly sad rendition of the Winnie the Pooh opening theme song.

Jack couldn’t help himself anymore.  

“That boyfriend of yours...  The one from the musicals.  Isaac..  That was really Gavin's brother?" Jack says, bewildered.  HOW had he not made the connection sooner?  Granted, he directed dozens of kids that year, and he’d been more focused on Gavin himself rather than his family, but...  Were those kids that forgettable?  

He nodded, smiling fondly..  "Yeah..  I guess it has been a while since you helped us out...  Though looking around, I see you've been busy, I don’t blame you.  Raising four boys and running a big-ass charity tends to do that I suppose." Cameron says, smirking. 

Jack laughed.  “Yeah…  Luckily, Mrs. Thompson found someone else since I’ll be too busy nowadays to do that anymore..  A shame, I liked directing, especially when we had talent like yours!” he says proudly, Cameron nodding politely.

Cameron sighs.  "I’d like to…  Talk officially for a bit if you don’t mind..  Ms. Ward didn't tell me much of anything really...  She couldn't, I understand...  She did say, however that Gavin didn't tell you guys much, and that any information I could furnish might help... I guess I can fill in some blanks...  Speaking frankly, Isaac and I probably spent more time with Gavin than either of his parents did.  Ask away, nothing is off limits.." Cameron says, taking off his glasses and rubbing his tired looking eyes.

Jack’s expression turns serious.  Right to the nitty gritty… 

"For Gavin's sake, I would certainly appreciate it...  Can you..  Just tell me what made him basically mute when he first got here?  It’s taken months to get him to have even the most basic of conversations…" Jack says, putting on a brave face, not sure what to expect.

Softly lifting the child off him, Cameraon turns his attention to Jack once he places Gavin to his side, resisting his small head against a pillow, tucking his Teddy under his arm.  

"Isaac, Gavin and I were walking around a state park one afternoon.  Some drunk driver veered off the road and into our path.  I was holding Gavin, so Isaac pushed us out of the way quickly.  He didn't have time to save himself, and died on impact...  It was instant...  We didn't even get to say goodbye." He says painfully, fiddling with the small ring band around his neck again.

Jack gets up, sitting next to his side on the couch, careful not to wake up Gavin.

"I'm...  I'm so sorry Cameron..." Jack says, patting him on the knee.  He couldn't help but notice the man's face still was smiling though.

"Mrs. Free...  She...  She blamed me and Gavin completely.  I can only imagine the things she said to the boy behind closed doors.  She wasn’t hateful before, but…  She certainly didn’t like Gavin either.  I wasn't allowed in the home under any circumstances either..  It took a year nearly until I got Mr. Free to even let me see Gavin again.  But...  By then...  He was gone.  That light Isaac spent so much time igniting, all but extinguished...  They had to have done a big number on him." He says, Jack rubbing his face angrily...  

"But...  He seems better...Hell, he seems...  Happy again, just like before the accident, if not moreso.  He and that Michael boy seem to really be close, and Gavin was so excited to tell me all about you Daddy Jack.  Gavin says you read him stories every night, and tuck him in just like bruv did." Cameron says, looking back down at the boy, smiling fondly.

Jack chuckles.  "Michael was the one that bullied him into talking.  He’s very assertive, that’s for sure, and…  Well, I guess I just know from my own experiences what I wanted as a child at bedtime, and what I never got…” he says, feeling the length of his arms, his childhood memories painfully prickling against his skin.  

He shakes his head.  "Mr. Patillo...  I don't...  I don't know what to expect to come after this night considering I just barged in like I did, but if there is even a chance I can...”

Jack snorts.  "Let me stop you right there.  I can't speak for Geoff, but as far as I'm concerned and already mentioned to Gavin, you are always welcome in this home Cameron.  I knew you plenty long enough to know you’re not a danger to us, and Geoff would murder you if you even remotely seemed intimidating.  If you want to be a part of Gavin's life, and if Gavin wants you, we'd love to have you.  Our couch and front door is always open.  It's rare, but...  I'm glad when foster kids get to have their real family still a part of their lives." He says, smiling softly, Cameron's shoulders relaxing for the first time all night, him slowly falling into the soft cushions and closing his tired yes.

"Thank you...  I...  I have to be there Jack.  I don't want Isaac worrying about his little brother, wherever he's at.  But more than that...  I love Gavin too.  He was as much a part of my life as Isaac was...” he mentions, tugging at the ring around his neck again..

“Were you two going to get married soon?” he asks, hating himself immediately for asking it.  

He laughs loudly.  “Oh god no, that man was petrified of commitment.  He gave me some cornball ring for when we’d be away at college so we’d be committed to each other, despite the distance between our departments being less than a five minute walk.  Still, I like to think…  It was like a promise between us..  A promise we’d always be together, no matter what.”

Jack smiles.  “Oh?  What are you majoring in?” he asks, Cameron’s eyes opening back up and gleaming.

“Double major.  Drama and secondary education.  I’m gonna try and be a high school drama teacher, or teach culture based classes.  At first I wanted to go on broadway, but…  Well, things changed…  I have a promise to keep, and to give someone’s dream a reality.” He finishes, letting out a deep sigh.  "Mr. Patillo, not to change the subject too dramatically...  I now have a terrifying question to ask...."

Jack's eyes grow wide, a nervous pit in his stomach.  "What?" He cautiously asks...  Was there something else to all this?  

The man's face turned pale white.  

"Where is Isaac's piano?  I...  Kind of need it...  For Gavin, of course." He says, Jack giving him a very peculiar look.  

~~~

Rebecca couldn’t believe her eyes..  There were son was, wet from head to toe, laughing his face off at her front door, Ryan in tow.  Mr. Ramsey was right behind them.  

“Long story short Rebecca, we went for a little swim and had a long talk!  Annd...  I think Miles wants to say something to you...” Geoffery mutters, her turning quickly to face her son.  He looked...  Stronger than he had this morning...

“Mom...  I...  I want to go live with Ryan and Mr. Ramsey.  Dad..  I don’t want to say, but...  I can’t live with Dad anymore, and he doesn’t want me around either.  I don’t want to, and i’m not!  I’ll run away if I have to!  So...  Please?  Can I stay with them?  I can come visit when dad’s not here, but...  Please...  Just let me go...” he pleads in a voice that breaks her heart...  

It’s not the voice he used when he WANTED things like video games or a new movie..  

No...  It was the voice he used when he NEEDED things.  Like when he needed the doctor, or when he’d need her help with homework that was too hard.  Or when they’d need each other after Kyle left…

_Wait...  Can’t live with...  Your father anymore?_

She looks into his eyes, and can tell he’s trying very hard not to cry, and...  Ryan’s hand is clutching his tightly, supportively.  Geoffery is away from them, still outside the door, but smiling directly at him, not paying her any mind.

“Miles...  Why do you want to go live with them?  Did...  Did something happen between you and your father?  Tell me sweetheart, did he hurt you!?!” she asks, taking him by the hand and bending down, looking up at him, checking for bruises.  If her husband had gone THAT far, she was calling the authorities immediately.

He shakes his head.  “No mom, I can’t tell you.  Nothing...   Nothing bad, I promise.  He didn’t hurt me, he didn’t touch me, but...  There’s no love between us anymore, and...  I don’t belong here...” he says, her breath becoming short.

_There’s…  No love?_

~

_Rebecca sighed.  Reading on her bed, after overhearing their argument in the weight room, she couldn’t help but want to stand up for her son.  Her husband, as usual, was being very overbearing…_

_“Sweetheart…  Don’t you think you’re being a little too hard on Miles?  He’s just a boy who wants to play with his friends…Who cares if he didn’t make some sports team!?” she mutters in bed, watching as her husband undresses before her.  He wasn’t the scrawny thing he used to be, that was for sure.  He’d buffed up, out and gotten tough since his teenage years.  The tattoos he usually hid under his long sleeved shirts_

_“Because Rebecca, I don’t want him to grow up weak little spoiled baby.  If he does, he’ll just be taken advantage of or bullied.  Or god forbid if he ever…  Wound up on the streets, held at knifepoint.  A real man would know how to handle it.” He muttered angrily, not paying her any mind._

_She sighed.  “Kyle…  What happened to you?  You were such a sweet and sensitive man when we were in high school and even moreso in college.  It wasn’t until after Miles was born that you…  Changed…   Tell me what’s wrong sweetheart…  Just-“_

_He lays his head down on the pillow, turning off the light beside him.  “Nothing Rebecca, go to sleep.”  Kyle mutters, leaving her completely in the dark, in more ways than one._

~

Ryan nods his head.  “Mrs. Luna...  I promise you...   This isn’t some crazy stunt; I wouldn’t let him get away with that.  No...  Treat this as if I’m coming to you for help...  Please, just believe me...” he says, Rebecca noticing that he’s as equally upset, but still putting on a strong face.

All of it was too much for her to take in so quickly....

 _And yet..._   

Internally, she smiles at her son’s bravery she wished she had, but on the outside...  Well...

“Go get some things for the night, and change into something warm and clean.  You can gather the rest whenever you want…  You’re welcome home anytime Miles, and I’m here to talk, but I’m not going to push.  I do want a better explanation soon young man…  I’m…  I’m trusting you on this, but that trust can only go so far, you understand?” She finishes painfully, trying not to cry her eyes out.

Her son hugs her, and rushes quickly up the staircase, Ryan not far behind him, both of them excitedly chattering about what he needed to bring.

She takes a moment to flap out her now wet clothing, and turns her attention directly to Mr. Ramsey.  “I don’t know what’s going on Geoffery, and I’d rather hear it from my son but…  Elena says to trust you.  Ryan adores you, and Miles is only happy lately when he’s around your family… So, for his sake….  I trust you.  Please…  Bring my son back to me.” She says, moving towards him, still standing just outside the door.

Geoffery nods.  “I promise Rebecca.  They both just need time and understanding.  It’s not something I can say I understand from your husband’s perspective, but…  People change, and I have hope in everyone’s ability to be good in their lives.  I’m sure…  I’m sure he has his reasons, but…  Damn it’s hard to see it right now.”

She smiles.

 _Miles is in good hands._    

\-----

The local storage place holding Gavin’s belongings was pitch black, lit by a few blue light poles.  It was littered with hundreds of storage lockers, one such large red locker quickly becoming lit up with flashlights.

“There you go Mr. Collins.  Locker 209.  Jack said the more personal items are in that one, but the furniture is in 210, and that should have the piano in it.  211 is the clothes, and 212 has the car in it.” she says, lighting each locker’s number as she speaks.

“Call me Cameron Ms. Eberle, and thank you...  Thank you for bringing me all the way out here, I know you have children of your own to attend to...” he says, fumbling in his pockets, looking for something.

She rolls her eyes.  “KARA.  And it was my pleasure, though...  I’m not going to be much help hauling anything heavy, I’m afraid....” she says reluctantly shrugging.

Cameron laughs.  “Oh no, I’ll get the movers to come get the piano, have you seen my scrawny-ass legs?  That shit isn’t going anywhere tonight...” he says, her laughing along.  “No..  I just needed to find one thing first though, something I think Gavin would like to wake up and see, and…  Something I needed to find...”

Taking out the set of keys Jack had given him from his pocket, he quickly unlocked Unit 209, and rolled the red door upwards, seeing dozens of neatly stacked and labeled boxes everywhere.  

“You’re lucky Cameron...  Usually...  There would just be an estate sale and everything get sold lock stock and barrel.  But...  HomeHunters is a bit different, so Jack went through the house and grabbed stuff he thought Gavin might use in the future or might want for old time’s sake.  He grabbed male clothes that were stored away, so we’ll probably make visits like this often.  Oh, everything else did get sold with the house, but there was plenty of money, so Gavin shouldn’t have to worry about anything when he’s older...” she says, Cameron grinning.

_Good.  It’s the least those scumbag parents could do for him and leave him well taken care of…_

He immediately begins lighting up the labels, going across each box carefully, looking for that ONE word.

_“Expensive Looking Shit”_

_“Fine China”_

_“Books - First Editions”_

_“Albums”_

_“Books - Journals/Music/Sheet”_

_“Photos - Framed”_

Seeing the last two and nodding excitedly, Cameron hefts them up with a pained grunt, and carries them quickly out of the storage unit, plopping them under a nearby light.  He opens the one labeled “Books-Journal/Music/Sheet” first and begins grinning as he pulls out the books.  All Isaac’s old music books and his personal journals!

“Oh thank you Jack...  Bless you, you wonderful man!” he says excitedly, clutching them to his chest, feeling closer to Isaac than he had in years.

Kara smiled.  “Is that what you needed?” she asks, still lighting up the boxes for him with her light, aiding him in whatever way she could.  He couldn’t believe how nice those...  “HomeHunter” people were...  Gavin really was in good hands...

“Almost all of it!  I just need to find....” he says, now opening up the other box, and carefully removing each framed glass photograph, his face lighting up excitedly.

“And there it is...” he says, holding is proudly into the light, letting Kara get a good look at it.  

The mantle photograph, the one he’d snapped all those years ago...  When Gavin first said Isaac’s name.

“Now I’ve got everything...” he says triumphantly.

\-----

Kids tucked in, Kara away with a relative of Gavin’s, Jay was tinkering away in his room, working on his latest costumes.  With Halloween coming close, and with both homes on a shoestring budget, he took some of his own money from his savings to give the kids something really special to dress up for Halloween.  They deserved nice things in life too...  Even the adults, Ryan and all his little friends.  Oh yes..  None would be spared the wrath of Heyman’s sewing fury, it had been YEARS since he had the time to dedicate to it fully.

Grinning as he puts another stich into Gavin’s outfit, he hears his door slowly creek open.  

"Jay... " he hears a small and frightened voice speak timidly.  His door was opened slowly, and Courtney was there, getting escorted by Dan.

"I'm going to have to get better at tucking you kids in!  I didn't know you guys could escape!  Next time, I bring the locks!" He says chuckling at his joke and walking over towards them.

"What's up kiddos?  Bad dreams?  Hungry?  Thirsty?  In need of a salon makeover?" He asks, both of them shaking their heads.

Dan was the first to speak up.  "Jay, Courtney and I heard scary noises outside our windows..  It's all whiny and scary like a ghost.  But Courtney’s just silly, right?  I’m not scared at all, cuz ghosts aren’t real!  We’re safe, right!" He says, trying his best to act tough, giving Courtney a reassuring nod, but Joel saw through it immediately.  The kid was putting on a good act though, made Courtney feel a lot safer.  What a good brother...

"Oh?  Well then dear ol’ daddy will go check it out!  I’ll go get my battle axe and vanquish the evildoer!" He says playfully, patting them both on the heads.  "Stay in my room to be safe, okie dokie?” he finishes, grabbing both of them and putting them on his bed softly, covering them with his quilt comforter tightly.  

He wasn’t too worried, there were stray animals outside their places all the time, and Geoff mentioned he scared of a few particularly intelligent squirrels in the area.  Probably nothing to worry about!

~  

Turning on the front porch light, Joel makes his way outside their front door, brandishing a small flashlight.  Making his way towards the side of the house, he notices it immediately.

Even in the dark of night, it was easy to see that the bushes were shaking, and a small whine could be heard from them.  Edging his way slowly closer, Joel raised his eyebrow and slowly poked the bush’s branches aside with his flashlight, a pair of tiny brown eyes inside it, teeth bared, now growling angrily.

“YELP!!” the small creature let out of its mouth, jumping out of the bush and trying to hobble away from Joel.  He follows it with his tiny light as it crosses the divider line between his house and Geoff’s property, discovering a small hole under the porch and finding itself a new spot for the night.

“Well shit...” Joel says, letting out a tired sigh and shaking his head.  Probably just a stray dog, though his kids had been right, it DID sound like some horrible ghost...  He supposed that he should just go and catch it, but...      

_Technically...  This is no longer my problem, since it’s not on my land...  And it’s late...  And...  I hate dogs..._

Joel’s face turned quickly into a grin, making up his own mind. “Kids!  Daddy vanquished the evil ghost!  Though the ghost was a dog!  And now it’s Geoff’s problem!  Let’s tell Mr. Ramsey about the ghost in the morning!  And by ghost, I mean the dog!” he says walking back into the house, two children cheering gratefully, having already gotten up and peeked at him from the front porch.  

~

But as the front light to Joel’s home is turned off, a small, sad, lonely whine can be heard under Geoff’s front porch.

 

~~~  
  
Gavin's eyes fluttered open.  He was alone, teddy in his arms, in his bedroom.  The sheets were pulled over him, but he was still in his clothes from yesterday..

  
Cameron?  Where are..   

  _Oh...  Oh..  It must have been another dream..._

His face falls.  Gavin always dreamt of the day that Cameron came back, or when Isaac would come talk to him again like in the car...  Oh well, it was a good dream.  Cameron read him a story before he fell asleep, and they got to sing a song. 

"Snnnnmmngfg...."

Gavin shot up out of bed and looked around.  Who was snoring in his room?  Did Michael sneak in again?  

Standing up on the bed, Gavin's eyes grew wide.  Right beside his bed was Cameron, snoozing quietly on a small pillow and thin sheet, splayed out uncomfortably like he always did in Isaac's room.  

Gavin’s face went bright, and he couldn’t help but giggle, grabbing his teddy and softly climbing off his bed.  He put Teddy's mouth to Cameron's cheek in a kissing motion.

"Give Isaac that kiss teddy!  I bet he misses Cameron bunches!" He says, forcing the bear to nod his head, and looking up on his dresser.  

_That’s....  ISAAC!_

The photograph Cameron had searched the night for was sitting there, Gavin finally able to see his brother’s smiling face once again.

~~~~~~~~~

Miles had the best night’s sleep of his life on that couch, and actually woke up early for once in his entire life.  Staring outside the window, he couldn’t help but love the sunrise hitting him on the face.  

He wasn’t sure why, but the anxiety he’d felt most nights and mornings since his dad came home had all but evaporated.  Between his talk with Mr. Ramsey, Ryan and his mother last night, he felt...  At peace..  As though someone had been there the whole night with him, softly singing him to sleep.

“Someone’s up early!  Morning kiddo!  Did you sleep ok?  Sorry, we’re kind of limited on beds right now.  Your mom sent money though, so we’ll get you a blowup bed or something to put in Ryan’s room, or wherever.” Geoff says, Miles turning around a bit shocked to hear a friendly voice for once.

Mr. Ramsey was walking through the hallway, yawning loudly, going directly into the kitchen, starting up a pot of coffee.

“Just fine Mr. Ramsey.  I slept really well, thank you…  Thank you so-

“Few rules kiddo.” Mr. Ramsey says, cutting him off immediately.  His face falls, suddently feeling a bit nervous.

“Yes sir?” he replies, not sure what to expect.

The man laughs.  “Rule number one.  It’s Geoff and Jack.  Don’t call us Mister, it makes us feel old!  Rules number two, just be yourself around here, as long as you don’t cuss in front of the little kiddos.  Rule number three…  Well, not really a rule, but I suggest showering and using the bathroom early, because trust me, you want to avoid that last minute rush.” He mutters, laughing his hearty little laugh.

Miles relaxed, nodding his head. “Yes si-….  Geoff.”

Geoff walks out of the kitchen as the pot brews, and plops down on the couch that wasn’t covered in bed sheets.  “So…  You into sports?  Games?  What?” he asks curiously, giving him his full attention.

He smiled.  “Uh…  I like stupid YouTube videos.”

The man’s face lights up.  “OH?  You see the one with the cat and the keyboard?!” he replies, Miles nodding his head excitedly.

\------

Laying on her living room couch in the early afternoon, Caiti heard her stomach grumble loudly again.  Half from hunger and half from stress, it felt good.  She was in control of SOMETHING at least, though it was a road she wasn’t fond of going back down again...

Still, She knew...  Oh god...  She knew she'd done wrong by Gavin, but...  That young man...  Cameron.  He'd seemed so sincere..  His story checked out, and Mr. Hullum had even agreed to drive her and the young man out there to make sure he didn't make a scene.  He was still legally an officer, so he could assist them if the need arose...

Much to her own discomfort, she called in a personal day, just...  WAITING to get the call.  Waiting to hear she’d be fired, because she KNEW what she had done wasn’t going to end well, even with Gus and Barbara’s support.  Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Patillo would be furious with her...    

-DING-

She hears her front door ring, and she pops herself off the couch, rushing towards it.  A few of her parents knew her address, and some popped in to talk, so she didn’t like to keep them waiting.

Reaching her foyer, she slowly opens the door, and sees Mr. Patillo outside of it, him staring directly into her eyes.

_Oh no…._

“I’m sorry to bother you Caiti, but…  Barbara said you took a personal day today, so I came by to ask you something important.” He says in a professional tone, her gulping nervously. 

“Yes Mr. Patillo?” she asks nervously, her voice almost groaning.

_Well Caiti, you’re getting what you deserve!  Don’t be so stupid next time someone sends you a sob story.  Remember what your last boss told you?  SEE, he was -_

"Caiti, I understand that you're the one that gave Cameron our address last night...  Is that true?" Jack says, a serious look in his face.

She sheepishly looked down at her feet.

"Jack..  I did.   I'm sorry,  He came by, he was so desperate, and it broke my heart.  I know..  I know…  I’m sorry, I will never again work with any of the hom-"

Caiti doesn't get a chance to finish, Jack wrapping his arms tightly around her in a friendly (yet huge) bear hug.

"Thank you so much...  You should have seen my son last night Caiti, YOU brought him such happiness and life that I don't even know how to replay you..." He says, patting her once or twice on the back and releasing her, giving her a beaming smile.  

"Gavin has part of his old life back, and not only that...  But you've basically given another young man peace of mind and a place to call home again...  You’re exactly what this world needs, someone that listens before passing judgment on something just because it’s in the books.  And…  I just wanted to say THANK YOU, you truly did a great thing for us." He continues, Caiti feeling tears welling up, still averting his gaze.

"Oh Jack, I didn't do all that, I'm...-"

Rumble....

Her stomach lets out another painful groan, loud enough that Jack even heard it.

"Wow..  That was loud, you could give my boys a run for their money...  HEY, if you don’t already have plans, please let me take you out to lunch as thanks! Is that ok?" He says, slapping his hands together.

 _Wh...  What?_ __  
  
But his expression turns embarrassed very quickly  "Or...  That wouldn't be awkward would it?  I’d hate for people to get the wrong idea, if you’re already involved with someone else.  But surely lunch wouldn’t be THAT bad, I mean, I just sort of want to thank you so….  Ehehheeheh…. " Jack says chuckling, scratching his beard nervously, bumbling his words now.

A very small grin grows on her face.

_He’s not mad?  He’s…  Ok with this?  Oh wow..  And he said I was good with the HomeHunters…  I…  Ehehhehee…._

Feeling her face burn, she shakes it off, glad to accept the man’s thanks.  "I'd love that Jack...  Thank you, I’ve been so worried about last night, I couldn’t hardly eat anything!..." Caiti says, looking deep into the man's eyes.  It was odd...  People around here did seem to genuinely care for one and other, and…  Just maybe… 

Maybe should would find a reason for living there, and let her heart guide her work like she always wanted. 

Caiti grabbed her purse off the table, and smiled at the man before her.  “Shall we go?”

The two exchanged smiles as she shuts the door behind her, and they walk side-by side towards a nearby parked van, sharing idle conversation.  



	13. Joel's Shell

 

(34 years ago)

 

On the outskirts of Dallas, a small apartment complex can be found, if one could actually call it that.  It’s hardly the lap of luxury, the outside of it littered with countless beaten up cars in various states of rust and decay.  The once vibrantly colored sign that named the business had long since crumbled to the ground, completely illegible.  

 

It is here that a small boy with messy black hair is running embarrassedly with his hands at his backside, through the graveled parking lot, several kind looking people waving and greeting him as he rushes by.  The boy opens the door to apartment 109, rushing in quickly, slamming the door loudly behind him.  The apartment was what you’d expect of it to be from the outside.  With only two bedrooms, a kitchen roughly the size of a large closet, and an antique dining table combined with their living room, it was far from impressive.  The brown carpets were disgusting, clearly a remainder from a decade long past, and the tacky wallpaper shriveling and cracking up the sides. But despite the harsher outer shell, the abode was homey and warm, pictures and antique family knick-knacks lining the walls, shelves and tables.  

 

Sitting on a bright orange couch with several patches on it was a woman, smoking a long cigarette and looking through the newspaper.

 

“Mommy, I ripped my pants playing Batman at Gus’s, I need a new one!” he says, turning around and revealing a rather large hole around his left leg’s side.  She snickers.  “Go change in your room and bring it out here to me, I’ll patch it up for you.” his mother says kindly, extinguishing her cigarette  against her ashtray, standing up and rustling through a nearby drawer, looking for something as the little boy rushes off into his tiny bedroom..

 

Amanda Heyman was of an average height, with a very thin frame, and long blonde hair to her shoulders, very volumized.  She wore an old pink blouse and a pair of heavily faded jeans.  Her smile was infectious, though her eyes were weary and tired looking.

 

The boy reappears from his bedroom in a fresh pair of shorts, handing his mother the ripped denim ones.  “Can’t we just throw them away?  They’re no good anymore!” he asks questioningly.  

 

She smiles, taking the garments in her hands, grabbing a previously threaded needle and  carefully moving it through the fabric in a zig-zag pattern as she returns to her seat.

 

“Because  Joel...  why would we waste money on something new, when we can get all patched up by ourselves?  Then our clothes are cheap, last a long time, and are full of love and memories!” she says sweetly, pinching Joel on the cheek, him smiling, but the subtlety of the message going clearly over his young head.

 

“Ok Mommy!  I’m gonna go play with Gus more, ok?” he asks pleadingly, nodding her head in approval.  

 

“That’s fine.  If Mrs. Sorola offers you dinner, be nice and accept it, ok?” she says cautiously, her tone a tad worried.

 

“Yes Mommy!  She already did, and said I could stay the night if I wanted!  Is that ok too?” he asks excitedly, her knowing the boy loved playing at the Sorolas.  A look of relief washes over her face.

 

Bless your kind heart Sophia.  I swear I or my son will one day repay you for your kindness....

 

“Of course sweetheart, you have fun ok?” she says again, him rushing out the door at mach speed, hea hearing the gravel crunch from underneath him as he runs.

 

As the night wears on, her own stomach rumbles, and she internally curses herself for being a horrible mother, unable to provide enough for herself, let alone her child...  

 

\----------------------------------------

 

(27 Years Ago)

 

A nearby Dallas high school was busy its first day.  Students eagerly rushing through the hallways, many freshman, like Joel himself, struggling to locate their classrooms and fiddle with their lockers.  The task was made much more difficult with an obnoxiously laughing friend right behind him.

 

“Joel, why the hell are you taking Home Ec?  It’s not a required class anymore you know, especially for guys, we NEVER have to take that shit.  Do you really think there is going to be a time where you need to know how to bake a cake or sew something?  Jesus Christ man, the guys are going to rip you a new one!” Gus says in a hearty laugh, patting Joel on his back, the man rolling his eyes as he fiddles with his locker combination again, having messed up.

 

Over the years since he was a small child, Joel had gotten a lot taller, already dwarfing his mother.  Though with his height and lack of a proper diet, he was very lanky, with most of his clothes just hanging loosely off of him.  

 

Turning his attention to his friend, he gave him a sarcastic look to his face.  “Gus, a true gentleman can woo a lady with the finest of culinary skills or the ability to fix a broken heel on cue.  Don’t patronize me my dear friend, when I get all the women, you’ll be BEGGING to join me.” He lies expertly, covering his real motives in a humorous anecdote.    

 

Despite his mother’s three low paying jobs, and his own part time gig watching the manager’s kids to cut their rent, they still struggled with finances.  He despised it, but they still couldn’t afford much more than food and the most basic of necessities, him still wearing his grandfather’s hand-me-downs, her skimping on basically everything, including her sleep, to make sure they lived another day.  

 

THAT was the real reason he’d taken the class.  If something were to rip, he no longer wanted his mother to take time out of her life to deal with it.  If she were hungry, he wanted to be able to feed her or himself.  She needed her rest, and was slowly crumbling from overwork.   No…  It was his turn to be the man of the house, and he wasn’t going to let her down.  He was old enough now to really start helping, and it was his turn to take care of her.

 

Gus sighs.  “Whaaaatever man, I’m heading to shop class.  Enjoy baking sweetheart!” he laughs again, trailing off into the hallway, blending in with the rest of the crowd.

 

Joel takes a deep breath, pulling out a deep red textbook from the finally opened locker, reading “Home Economics:  Practical Science for the Household”.  Shoving it in his grandfather’s old mesh army knapsack, he makes his way through the hallways, looking at all the happy students walk so cheerily past him, laughing and talking it up, him hearing various plans for that weekend.  Movies, dinners, outings with friends, driving to makeout point...  Expensive shit.  

 

Lucky bastards...  I wish I could give my mom half of what those assholes spend in a weekend...

 

Caught in his own jealous thoughts, he passively enters his classroom without thinking, taking a seat in the very back, not noticing the group of female classmates giving him shocked looks.  Not that he would have cared, he wasn’t there to impress anyone.

 

Thought he quickly notices once everyone begins pointing at him, giggling and whispering loud thoughts around him.  He felt a wave of self-consciousness wash painfully over him, grinning big and turning his face up.  

 

“What?  A guy can’t learn to make creme brulee?  Here I thought this was Amerca!  Land of the free and home of the brulee!” he says dramatically, ushering a wave of laughter across the classroom, calming the tension a bit, getting him the eyes of a few of the younger classmates.

 

“OK LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, CRAM IT.” yells an angry woman’s voice.  

 

Walking into the classroom was a tough looking woman, the PE Teacher, Mrs. Taylor, staring at the class intently, silencing voices and mutterings all at once, including Joel’s.  In Tennis Whites, standing much taller and a lot more muscular and tough looking than Joel himself was Gretchen Taylor, the most fearsome coach in all the school, even more so than the Football Coaches.  Which for the heart of Texas?  That was saying something.

 

Taking a quick run through the roster, she adjusts her neck spotting something, following up by staring directly at Joel.

 

“MR. HEYMAN.  I’LL MAKE THIS POINT FIRST IN CASE YOU’RE ANOTHER ONE OF “THOSE” KIND OF BOYS I GET EVERY YEAR.  IF YOU’RE HERE TO FIND A DATE AND DON’T DO ALL THE WORK I GIVE YOU, I’LL FLUNK YOUR SORRY KEESTER WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT!” she sternly voices in that same incredibly vocal, booming voice.

 

Joel shrugs.  “Wait and see for yourself.  Though I must admit that I am quite the catch you know, who knows?  I might just find a lovely mademoiselle.” he mutters in a bad accent smugly as a joke, getting rabid whisperings from his classmates.

 

She eyes him deviously, making her way through her classroom rows directly to his desk.

 

Mrs. Taylor scrunches her eyes and gives him a deadly look.  “This ain’t shop class buddy boy, we don’t PLAY around here.  We don’t just cook pretty cakes all day long or prance around in skirts.  We learn FINANCES here.  Budgets.  Sewing.  Effective repair jobs.  Culinary arts.  There's more to running a house than just being a woman or knowing how to clean up.” she says more quietly and in a fiercely hushed tone, clearly meant to intimidate him.

 

His expression unphased, he loses his grin and gives her a firm expression.  

 

“And that’s exactly what I need in my kind of situation, thank you very much.” he whispers harshly, not backing down from her intense stare, merely showing her the bottom of his plaid shirt’s sleeve, with many off colored and horrendous looking patch jobs, clearly not of his mother’s work.

 

The teacher scrunches her face and raises her eyebrow, finally nodding her head, taking the subtle hint. “Ok then, I gotcha.  Pay attention, you clearly don’t know anything.  EVERYONE OPEN YOUR BOOKS UP TO PAGE 12.” whispering at first to him, then booming her voice loudly at the end.

 

Opening his book up, he realizes the very first lesson was right there in front of him.  Patching.  

 

Oh cute..  I’m off to a fantastic start...

 

\----------------------------------------

 

(23 Years ago)

 

In their apartment, Joel was sprawled out on the couch, reading countless newspapers and magazines courtesy of Gus.

 

His mother lets out an exasperated sigh.  “Joel, sweetheart…  Can you cut yourself away from the computer crap and come talk to me?!” his mother asks angrily, staring at him from across the room, sitting at the dinner table, their food still warm.

 

He sighs right back.  “Mother, I’m reading about this Macintosh thing.  This could be big stuff worth investing in if …” he mutters, cut off immediately.

 

Amanda rolls her eyes.  “Joel, it’s just a fad.  Enough.  Come eat dinner, it’s getting cold, and it shouldn’t waste!  You worked really hard on it!” she says angrily, Joel groaning loudly in response, throwing his paper to the floor and heading to the dining table reluctantly.  

 

Taking his place at the table, he stared at his latest concoction.  It wasn’t terrible, but he was far from Robert Carrier.  He hated Italian food, the pastas were always cooked wrong, and his sauces tasted bland.  Then again, he was a high school senior with several years under Mrs. Taylor’s tutelage, so it wasn’t all that bad...  He was getting there.

 

As he stuffs a napkin into his shirt, his mother fiddles with her hair, clearly nervous about something.

 

“Sweetheart….  I need to talk to you about something…  Something…  Important.” She says, her voice not in its usual snarkiness they shared at the dinner table.  

 

He turned his head up and looked at her seriously, his fork not moving from his hand.

 

“Mom…  Are we getting kicked out?  Are you sick?  Is grandma ok?  I can drop out, I can get a better paying-“ he stammers, his face worriedly imagining the worst.

 

She shakes her head immediately, and laughed.  “Oh sweetheart, no.  NO, nothing like that, I’m sorry if I scared you.  It’s just…  Well…” she stammers, searching her mind for the right words.

 

Joel is tense, not sure what’s coming.  “MOM.  SPIT IT OUT, YOU’RE KILLING ME HERE.” He says angrily, actually very genuinely terrified for once.

 

Amanda sighs.  “It’s one of my coworkers.  Her name is Margaret Adison.  She’s just a couple years younger than you, and…  Well, she’s had a bad homelife son, I never got the full story, but…  She had to drop out of high school to get away from it, and she’s been working just as hard as I have my whole life...  The sweetheart is about to get evicted for missing too many rent payments, and...  She needs a place...  Margaret and I talked it over for a while, and the two of us agree she could come stay with us, and she’ll pay for-”

 

He wastes no time in dropping his jaw, his emotions boiling over quickly as he puts her story together.  “ARE YOU INSANE?!  I MEAN, REALLY INSANE??!” Joel loudly exclaims, giving his mother a look of pure disbelief.  

 

She doesn’t back down, shaking her head.  “Joel Heyman, this is MY home, and I’ll invite whoever I see fit to join it.  Don't’ you dare disrespect me little man, I know exactly what I’m doing.” she says firmly.

 

Joel takes a deep and calming breath, attempting to not be hostile.  “No...  No, I really don’t think you do...  We can’t afford two people here.  Adding a third one means more food!  Another one means someone gives up a bed, and more crap in our home that we can’t fit in.  There is no reason we need her here!” he politely suggests, waving his hands excitedly to bring his point home.

 

Amanda shakes her head again, sighing.  “Adding a third one means MORE income Joel.  She’s offering to buy groceries and help with utilities, so my money can go completely to the rent, and you can quit your job and go to school without having to worry!” she says kindly but firmly, Joel’s expression turning dark, shaking his head, rubbing his palm into his forehead.

 

“Mom...  Get over that...  So what if I got that scholarship, it doesn’t mean anything...  There’s still books, fees, gas money, a car, it’s just not feasible.  There’s a garage shop outside of town, and my buddy says-”

 

She slams her hand on the table.  “NO.  You are going, and that’s that.  Margaret is going to be staying with us, be part of the Heyman household, and you will go to school and do something with your life.” she says with finality in her voice, returning to her food, her expression firm, but attempting to play it off casually.

 

Fury envelops Joel, and he slams his hand against the table firmly as he stands, rattling the plates much more forcefully than his mother had.  “AND HOW DO YOU EXPECT WE AFFORD THAT!?!?!  I CAN’T EVEN BUY NICE CLOTHES!  IF I CAN’T DO ANYTHING,  YOU CERTAINLY CAN’T DO ANYTHING!  I’M JUST THINKING OF HOW TO KEEP US ALIVE AND IN A HOME ANOTHER DAY MOM.  DON’T BE AN IDIOT!  DROP IT!” he screams loudly, his eyes piercingly painful into her skull, a voice full with years of spite and aggravation.

 

It was then that she does something he never expect her to do, or had ever seen her do.  She put her hands to her eyes, genuinely hurt by his words.  Though he can’t see it...  He knows she’s crying..

 

Shit...  Mom, no...

 

He slams back hard into his chair, both hands firmly on his temple.  “I’m...  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that...  I....  Damnit...”

 

They sit in silence for a few minutes, both of them attempting to compose themselves, neither touching their plates or making any significant eye contact.  Amanda takes deep breaths, waving her eyes to dry the tears as Joel does the same to prevent himself from hyperventilating.

 

Joel sniffs, fighting back his tears.  “I just wanna help you mom...  In the way dad never did.  I wanna...  I wanna take care of you like you took care of me.  You deserve that...  You deserve so much better than you got out of life...And...  I know it’s all my fault.” he says, speaking seriously and in a saddened tone of voice.  

 

Amanda turns her head up, giving him an incredulous look.  Her son was never serious, always laughing, joking or talking with some funny quip.  Joel was hard working sure, but...  Never like this...

 

“What...  I...” she sutters, Joel turning back to her face.

 

“If I hadn’t been born, Dad would have never left you.  You two would have gotten married, and done something better.  You would have a husband to support you, or maybe just not had such a terrible burden on your shoulders and found someone else eventually.  I’m to blame for your shitty life, and I just want to try and make it better.  Getting a full time job is the only thing I can do to help us out of this pit, and...    And I want you to-

 

Almost launching herself out of her chair, she hugs her child tightly, almost strangling his neck from the intensity, tears flowing from her eyes.

 

“Don’t you EVER think like that Joel.  I have never ONCE regretted you or the life I’ve lived.  Yes, times were hard, and I’ve cried my fair share of tears and had sleepless nights over money, but there was no better joy than watching you grow up into such a strong man.  Even in high school, you’re so much more of a man than your father was, and I couldn’t ask for a better son.  You’re what our world needs.  People who CARE Joel, and I...  I don’t want you trapped here forever...  You HAVE to find a way, even if it makes us hurt for a while...” she says frantically, kissing him on the head and not letting go of him anytime soon.

 

I... I...

 

Joel hugs his mother back, letting a tear or two fall from his own face.  “T....Thanks mom....” he shyly responds, never really one to be good with emotional situations.

 

Amanda clenches his neck tighter.  “We’re a family Joel...  And nothing is more important than family in this world...  So when I say we’ll find a way to make this work, I want you to believe in that...  And believe in me...” she stutters, Joel feeling his body relax from the words.

 

“Y...  You really sure?  It’s...  It’s so damn expensive....” he sputters out, feeling a tad hopeful from her comforting words.

 

She nods.  “I promise...” Amanda says, unhooking her arms from him.  

 

“Now...  Why don’t we talk about you being a strong man sleeping on the couch so Margaret can have a bed!” she says perkily, with hopeful eyes.  His face goes from to that of a cheerful son into a face of pure “no” very quickly.  Joel Heyman does not do couches...

 

He sighs.  “Ok, we’ll do that, and then we’ll talk about me working part-time during college and you not bitching about it?”

 

The two stare at each other angrily for a few minutes in aggravated silence, before finally they both cave in.

 

Folding her arms, she huffs.  “Fine.  But if you so much as miss ONE class mister, I’m going to make you regret it.” she says dastardly.

 

He rolls his eyes.  “Yeah, well my ass is about to be a pincushion on that springy mess you call a couch, so I’m already regretting it!” he exclaims loudly, but in a much more upbeat tone, one they both recognized.  

 

The two of them share a smile, shake their heads and go back to their meals in peace.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

(20 Years Ago)

 

College was not what Joel had expected it to be.  

 

A place of higher learning?

 

Nope..  Just mostly an expensive day care for twenty-something year olds going to school on mommy and daddy’s checkbook.  Not that he was bitter, but...  Well, the place of higher learning was not the place that books or movies made it out to be.  

 

Though that wasn’t the only change in his life, and walking into his apartment late in the evening, there it was, sitting on his family’s couch.  

 

Margaret Adison...  She certainly wasn’t what Joel had expected, even a few years after she’d moved in with them.  With an average frame, short cut red hair, and piercing green eyes, she stood a good head shorter than Joel.  

 

Though several years ago, Joel had wanted nothing to do with her, he couldn’t help but love her as an addition to the home.  She was sweet, kind, generous and paid for nearly everything in the household not relating to rent or transport.  His mother had been right, she was exactly what they needed.

 

Locking the door behind him, she clears her throat.  “Your mother took another late shift, so...  It’s just the two of us tonight.” she said happily, looking up from her book and giving him a big smile.  

 

He signed vocally, knowing his mother was working too hard again.  Even sharing a car with Gus and doing a lot of walking and bus travel, college was a huge expense without much to show for it.  Joel would thankfully be finished soon, going into a more psychology based social worker route due to an increased work demand.  The government was essentially begging at this point, an unexpected side effect of the baby boomers now becoming apparent with so many children in need of foster homes.  It was an easy to grab job, plus benefits, average to slightly above average pay and health insurance... Exactly what his family needed, and exactly what they were going to get.  Not even remotely what he wanted in life, but it was an easy gig to get, almost guaranteed.

 

Joel turns to her, frowning a bit.  “I’m doing leftovers tonight if that’s ok, I have too much work to do, cook, and do the laundry, sorry.” he mutters, yawning in response and making his way towards the tiny kitchen, rummaging through the fridge.  

 

“Oh, don’t worry about it Joel!  I can-”

He waves his hand behind him.  “No, no, you know the rules around here Margie-Poo.  You and mom do all the hard labor for the money, and I do everything else around here.  Touch my cooking utensils, and you’ll regret it!” he says playfully, pulling out the container or two of a leftover casserole he’d made a big batch of, and popping them into the large microwave.

 

Margaret gets up and begins walking slowly into the kitchen, sitting her book down on a table, and watching him from afar.  “Joel Heyman, you never cease to amaze me.” she says in an impressed tone of voice.

 

Playing the compliment off, he shakes his head.  “I am quite a fantastic specimen of man, but what exactly is so amazing about a poor college student still living at home with his mother?” he replied sarcastically, wheeling around and facing her.

 

She smiles, looking him directly in the eyes.  “Because I think it’s amazing how you could do anything in your free time when you’re not at college or work, and..  Well, you do things for your mother and the house!  You come home, smiling like a little idiot cooking meals or doing the laundry.  You do realize you’re in college right?  You’re supposed to be getting drunk and having late night flings!” she exclaims colorfully, standing in front of him with an admirable expression.

 

He rolls his eyes.  “Oh, you know me....  There’s nothing that screams SEXY than hauling our laundry across town and seeing “Kevin” deal drugs outside the laundromat.” he says seriously, Margaret laughing at his joke.

 

Joel can’t help but smile.  “You know..  You’re pretty amazing yourself.  You live in a shitty apartment with a smartass kid and his mother.  Yet...  I don’t think I’ve ever seen you complain ONCE.” he says, her blushing from his words.

 

“Well..  That’s because I love my life...” she replied, giving him a beaming smile.

 

His face scrunches, unsure of how to take that.

 

Gently grinning, she laughs.  “I guess...  I guess what I wanted more than anything in life was to have a loving family that I didn’t have as a child.  Money and a nice home were always secondary in my big list of dreams I had.  More than anything though...  I just hated being alone.  That’s why there has been no greater joy in my life than the last few years with you and Amanda.  We’re weird people, all of us, but...  I guess it’s kind of like a family!” she says sweetly, looking at him with those deep green eyes of hers.  

 

Joel shakes his head.  “Well, I’m glad you like it here, it’s not been...  Horrendous with you here, and...  I guess you really have helped us out.  I certainly couldn’t have gone to school without you, and...  Well...  I guess it’s nice having someone else to talk to around here...  Someone who...  Knows me...” he stutters, letting out a big breath, clearly embarrassed about the situation.

 

Rolling his eyes. he sighs again.  “I guess that sounds weird....” he mutters, knowing full well she’s already dating someone, and hoping to not make things awkward.  

 

Margaret giggles.  “No, it doesn’t!  I know exactly what you mean..  There are things I wouldn’t DREAM of telling Hank about my life, because I know he’d never be able to understand me, or feel where I was coming from.  It’s nice...  Having friends like you Joel...  Someone I can tell everything to and not feel stupid or ashamed...  So..  Thanks.” she says, tousling her hair a bit.

 

The microwave dings, and he jumps a bit, swinging around.  “And my shitty re-cooking is done.  Enjoy!” he says, grabbing mittens and pulling out the warm containers, carefully not to burn himself.

 

Putting her hands on her hips, she gives him a seething look.  “Your cooking is not shit and you know it, so stop with the false modesty already!  Be proud of yourself and your accomplishments!” she says harshly, him chuckling.

 

“Yes, because what I need is more of an ego.” he mutters, sticking the plates on the kitchen counter, rustling through the drawers for a fork.

 

She punches him on the shoulder.  “Yeah, well I LIKE your ego.  It’s charming!” she says, stealing a fork out of his hand, grabbing the bigger plate and proudly walking away from him.

 

Joel grins.  

 

_I guess I love my life too..._

 

\----------------------------------------

 

(7 Years Ago)

 

Joel had lived a very blessed life.  Well, it could have been better at the start, but things now more than made up for it, and he’d happily take the bad times again for these wonderful years.

 

As he’d expected after college, he’d gotten a job offer immediately at some Austin branch that was hurting for help.  So he moved himself, his mother and Margaret over to him immediately when he was 24.  Her and his mother lived happily next door with Joel helping them out money-wise, and things had never been better.  Living alone was a godsend, and he loved being able to buy nice things for himself and his family.

 

Especially Magaret...  Not like they were romantically involved or anything, god no, that was farthest from Joel’s mind.  No...  She was more than that.  What had started as his mother’s coworker and friend?  Well, now she was basically a full member of their family.  Like a sister or something.

 

It has been nearly ten years since they started their new life together in Austin, and...  He still couldn’t help but love spending time with them, not bothering to socialize with co workers much outside of Gus or Carter..  

 

Walking into his mother’s apartment, he sees the two women giddily talking to each other in excitement, Magaret in tears.

 

“He’s so nice, I love him to death!  I can’t wait to be married to Hank Tuggey! ” she squealed excitedly, his mother just as excited for her as he was.  

 

His face beamed.  “So did ol’ Hank finally pop the question?  About time, I was getting worried about him!  He did kick that gambling habit though, right?  Because if not, I’ll totally go macho and write him a sternly worded letter!” he says sarcastically, walking over to her and hugging her tightly.  Those two had been together for YEARS, and were happy together, despite some rough patches.   

 

She nodded.  “Yes!  Of course he did, I wouldn’t have stayed with him otherwise.  Joel, you MUST be the maid of honor, I insist!” she says bashfully, him putting on a pondering face.  

 

“Well, of course I will.  But I get to wear a pretty pink dress, ok?  I’m not half-assing anything!” he says with a straight face, her laughing at the very thought of it.  

 

His mother pats her on the knee.  “Oh sweetie, this is wonderful, I know it’s what you’ve always wanted.  Are you and Hank thinking of children yet?” she asks, Margaret nodding her head eagerly.  

 

“YES!  We want a huge family, and they’re all gonna know their nana Heyman real well!” she says cheerfully, his mother clapping excitedly.  

 

Though the excitement was short lived, with Amanda giving Joel a dark stare.  “And where are my grandchildren Mr. Heyman?  You’re THIRTY-FOUR, and not getting any younger here mister!” she states firmly, but in a kidding tone he recognized.

 

Shaking his head, he grins.  “I can’t even fathom having a family right now mother.  We live a good life, but our finances are so tight, that if anything bad happened, I’d be scared for-“ and he stops, realizing that he’d probably said too much.  “In the end, nobody is going to stop the bachelor train!  It’s the best-”

 

“Is that why you don’t date?  Because of MONEY!?” Margaret asks sadly, Joel cringing from it.

 

Amanda’s face looks broken.  “So that is why...  You don’t...  Oh god, Joel, don’t-”

 

He shoots her a dirty look, silencing her.  “Whatever.  It makes sense, right?  Why would I ever want a family if I couldn’t provide for them?  I am not about to repeat the mistakes of my father, and I don’t want anyone to feel what I felt growing up.  If that means I don’t get to have children or a wife?  Well, to hell with it then.  I’d rather not know what it’s like.” he says angrily, the women now looking at him painfully.  

 

Joel shakes his head.  “Listen!  It’s fine, it won’t always be like this, I promise!  This is a happy day, let’s go out and celebrate, on me!  We’ll get some champagne or wine and uncork it to better days!” he says, smiling, hoping to alleviate the troubled looking faces.

 

Margaret stands up from the couch and walks over to him, hugging him tightly.  “Joel..  Promise me...  Promise me that you won’t be alone, ok?  I need to know that right now...  Please don’t tell me that...  Your mother and I kept you from-”

 

He grabs her head and pushes it back from his chest.  “No.  You didn’t.  You GAVE me a family dummy, you didn’t TAKE anything away, don’t be stupid.” he says, flicking her on the forehead, her giving him a deathly stare.  

 

“Listen, I have countless kids every day I go to work, and I’m going to spoil the ever loving hell out of your kids.  I don’t think you realize how much either.  I’m talking drums at christmas kind of spoiling.” he says, grinning, her face cracking a small smile.

 

Amanda stands up, joining them for a big hug.  “Well, now that our regularly schedule Soap Opera is over, I say we take the Bachelor Heyman out on his offer!” she says, grabbing him by the arm, Margaret taking the other one.

 

Grinning big, masking his feelings, he gives them devious looks.  “Why, I have two lovely ladies on both of my arms, I’m going to be the talk of the town!” he says, both of them cackling wildly.

 

\----------------------------------------

 

(Present Time, Early Summer)

 

Time had taken its toll on the Heyman family, much to his displeasure.  Magaret (now Tuggey) had moved away with her husband Hank to find better job opportunities farther out in the state.

 

The two of them lived hours away now, in a completely different part of the state, and slowly drifted apart over the years.  It was a shame, he and Margaret had gotten so close, the woman a sister he’d never had.  They had a little girl named Lindsay, but he’d never met her before, outside of when she’d first been born.  

 

He was busy.  They were busy.  His mother was busy. That’s...  That’s just how life went sometimes...  He still exchanged phone calls every couple of weeks at first, but soon even that tapered off.  Everyone...  Everyone was just too busy...

 

Because of the separation between them...  It was all the more odd when he got a call early one morning, asking him to come to their home from the local police department.  

 

Fearing the worst, he rushed the eight hour drive to Amarillo that morning, arriving late that afternoon, and cringing in horror as he looked at what had been their beautiful home.

 

It was gone.  

 

Completely burned to a crisp, nothing left in its wake but a smoldering pile of blackened planks, taped off with police tape, countless cars and fire trucks still lined across the neighborhood.  

 

The case agent was already on the scene, running towards Joel, recognizing the state seal on his car.  The man was a few years younger than Joel, with sandy blonde hair in a military cut, extremely well toned and muscular.  

 

“Sam Coulson, Dallas CPS.  Let me give you some insight here and we’ll move on to the kid, I know you had a long drive, and I’ve been up all damn morning.  The police say the husband tried to set the place on fire, collect on some life insurance policy they had.  The moron just poured a bunch of gasoline in the bedroom though, so...  It’s pretty damn obvious.  As to why he needed that much money, we’re not sure, but...  The asshole didn’t even have the decency to get his little girl out of there... Greedy bastard...” he mutters resentfully, Joel breathing hard.

 

_Oh god...  No...  Nonononononononono...._

 

He looked painfully at the home, realizing exactly what it meant.  

 

Continuing, the man pulls out a miniature notepad, flipping through it.  “The woman, Mrs. Tuggey died from the smoke inhalation on route to the hospital.  The girl got out, thankfully her room on the bottom floor, but she’s obviously a wreck.”  

 

The man’s words were empty to him.

 

Margaret was gone...  He’d never see her again, and...  Joel couldn’t even remember the last words he’d ever spoken to her...  Some brief exchange over the phone...  Nothing important, nothing...  He’d...  He’d never be able to tell her...  Goodbye...

 

_I...  I’m so sorry...  I should have...._

 

The man in front of him sighs painfully.  “Luckily, the child is just fine, already checked up by the EMTs, and she’s good to go tonight.”

 

Snapping back to reality, it hits him quickly.

 

“So then...  Why am I here?  This is way out of my usual jurisdiction...  I mean, it’s not like-”

 

Mr. Coulson srractches his head. “ Your guess is as good as mine.  You were specifically requested Mr. Heyman...  Apparently by the late mother before she passed, screaming something about Joel Heyman in Austin with CPS.  I’m not sure why, and I don’t even care to be honest.  The EMT caring to her swore they’d get you on her deathbed, and passed on the message.  So...  Here you are!  I don’t blame you if you want to pass it though, it’s gonna be a pain in the ass case.  That kid is NEVER going to be right in the head once she knows the truth.” he says painfully, looking irritated by his situation, not even remotely caring about the child.

 

He turns to the man and gives him a dark look, full of resentment.  Too many people were like that in the agencies, and it pissed him the hell off.  They didn’t give two shits about the “problem” kids, only caring about the easy ones and clocking out at five.  It was so EASY to cast off people in poor situations or backgrounds, and he saw immediately what kind of care Lindsay would get with the Dallas Branch and this bozo.

 

“I’ll take her.  Send me the paperwork tomorrow, fax it over to our branch.  I’ll bring her home with me tonight, no need in shipping her anywhere else, she’s been through enough.” he mutters, the man taken aback from the news and grinning.  

 

“Sweet, one less head case for me!  Well, let’s go get her!  Oh, and be warned, she SWEARS that some “friend” of her mom’s gave her some message.  Probably just a dream, but it’s creepy, so don’t buy into it.” he says snarkily, escorting Joel to a nicer looking car than his own, but with a similar emblem on its side.  

 

Joel peeks into the back of the car through the window, a little girl with reddish brown hair crying, curled up in a ball.  As Coulson opens the car, she stares up into his eyes.  Her eyes...  Oh god, her eyes were the same as Margaret’s...

 

Adjusting herself in a sitting position, she looked up at him hopefully. “Are you...  Jay?   Momma’s friend said a Jay Man would take care of me...”

 

Composing himself by pinching his leg as hard as he could, he nodded his head, giving the child a big grin.  “Yep!  I’m Joel Heyman.  I’ll be your fa-.....”

 

_Don’t..  Don’t do it...  Don’t say it...  You can’t...  You can’t give it to her, not with your situation...  Don’t even try..._

 

Shaking his head off, he puts on a tough smile.  “I’ll be your case agent Lindsay.  I’m here to make sure you’ll get a good home, where someone can take GOOD care of you and give you a great life...” he says, painfully offering her his hand.

 

She takes it, hopping into his arms, hugging him tightly.  “Thank you Jay...”

 

He pats her on the back.  “I’ll get you the best home ever Lindsay...  I promise.” he says, not letting her or Coulson see his saddened expression, looking at the remains of the home, cursing himself.

 

_Why...  Why didn’t I stay in contact...  WHY!?!?_

 

\----------------------------------------

 

(Present Time, Early Summer)

 

Despite heated arguments with his mother, the two of them refrained from telling Lindsay anything.  It was better that way, at least he thought.  Gus had, thankfully, been eager to cash in some favors, and did Joel a great service by letting him deal with Lindsay in full and quickly.  She stayed with him for about a week, and was in a better place almost overnight.  Though...  He’d promised her that he would visit frequently.  She wasn’t eager to leave the “Jay Man”, wanting to follow her mother’s request.

 

But...  She trusted him, and did as she was told, much to his gratefulness.  Mrs. Eldridge would be a fine parent, and had been a wonderful parent in the past, and who was more than eager to work with “such a strapping young man”.  

 

Although...  He had to make up with his mother, feeling horrendous about their latter arguments.

 

Knocking on the door to his mother’s apartment, several things were readily apparent.  For one, his mother’s door was wide open swinging as he knocked, and as he walked inside of it, everything was GONE.  Not that his mother had much, but...  The home was just empty, save for a single piece of paper in the middle of the room.  Walking over towards it, he grabs it, recognizing her flawless handwriting immediately.

 

_Dear Joel,_

 

_I’ve moved out while you attended to Lindsay’s new home these last few days.  I won’t be back, so don’t bother looking for me or trying to talk me out of this.  I’m going my own way in life now, finding my own path.  It’s time you did too._

 

_You don’t have to take care of your old mother anymore, I’m a big girl who’s been saving up for this day for a very long time.  I’ll call when I’m all settled in, and you can come visit in a few months, but give yourself some time to grieve her loss, I know how much she meant to you Joel.  She meant a lot to me too._

 

_Though I was surprised at how you acted._

 

_Seeing you give up on Lindsay without a second thought broke my heart Joel Heyman, and I can’t help but be disappointed in you.  I know why you did what you did, and what you told Margaret and I all those years ago still probably lingers in your head.  Here I thought I taught you better than that!_

 

_I don’t know how these things work, but...  If there is a chance that you can get her back, I want you to do it.  With me gone, you should have plenty of time and money to dedicate fully to her.  You and I both know it’s what Margaret would have wanted, and we both know you want to be there for her as well.  I see it in your eyes, and feel it in your heart._

 

_Don’t let Lindsay grow up without a family that loves her Joel...  There’s no better man in this world to be a father than you.  Trust me...  I know this better than anyone._

 

_I love you Joel, and I want you to live a wonderful life.  A life of your own, one that you can be proud of down the line.  One where when you’re my age?  You’ll smile as big as I am today, knowing how much you succeeded._

 

_Love,_

 

_Your Mother_

 

He re-reads the papers over and over again, until finally he looks around the house, realizing that she’s really gone.  

 

Joel...  For the first time in his entire life...  Joel was alone.  

 

\---------------------

 

(Present Time, Late Summer)

 

It had been a long couple of months since his mother moved away and Margaret passed on.  He moved out of the larger apartment quickly, finding a cheaper and smaller one immediately, the old one too full with painful memories.  That, and...  If he was going be new bachelor with no strings, he might as well lavish in his own style.

 

At first, he engrossed himself completely in work to forget, masking his lonely pain with possible career advancement, maybe directing his own department, but...  It didn’t work.  

 

Instead, he tried to buy his way out of his funk.  

 

Thinking that maybe giving themselves the things he’d always wanted would make things better.  A big TV, video games like Gus always talked about, movies, and things of that nature...  It was fun at first, and he was genuinely thrilled about being able to experience “wealth” he’d always been curious of, but...  

 

Well, eventually the games became hollow, or the movies would make him think too much.  The life of a single man was nice on paper, but...  He wasn’t a single man at heart...  He didn’t want to be... Joel wanted his family back...  The way things used to be...  

 

Even back when he had nothing, he had everything, now finally understanding what Margaret meant all those years ago.

 

It was painful being alone, and he realized he’d probably never have that feeling of “home” again.  Which made the late nights laying on his posh couch all the more painful...

 

BZZZZZ

 

_What point is there in living anymore anyway?  I find no joy in anything anymore...  I’ve lost everything important to me.  My family, my friend, my “niece”, my mother....  The people who made me whole...   I’m too old...  There’s no way I’ll ever be able to find that kind of connection again..._

 

_Without a family to provide for and love...  What good am I?_

 

BZZZZZ

 

_It’s not like I’d be missed either.  Sure, I’d cause problems for Gus, and Carter would probably be upset with me, but..  Really, who else do I have?  My kids would go to Caiti or Barbara.  Those girls were far more competent than I am anyway..._

 

BZZZZZ

 

_I could just...  Sleep and dream forever of what I had...  What I lost-_

 

BZZZZZ

 

He feels something firm grip his shoulder, and he swats it away, looking backwards, expecting to see someone, but witnessing nothing.

 

Finally, he shakes himself out of his stupor, coming back to reality and noticing his ancient flip phone buzzing wildly in his shirt pocket.  Pulling it out, he notices an obnoxious looking picture of Geoff Ramsey flipping the camera off as the ID photo.  Rolling his eyes, he opens it quickly.

 

“What Geoff?  I’m busy.” he says angrily.  The man didn’t even work with him anymore, why would he even want him for anyway?  It’s not like he was even remotely-

 

“JOEL!  Thank god, I need some help.  Listen, you know anything about what’s best for an upset stomach?  Michael ate something that didn’t agree with him, and his tummy is hurting real bad.” Geoff says, a groaning MIchael easily heard in the background, whining significantly.    

 

He changes his tone quickly, feeling sorry for the poor child.  

 

“Oh...  Well my mother always used to give me some hot water with lemon juice.  It should help digest the food more quickly and just soothe the tummy.  If he doesn’t like it, add just a small pinch of sugar for it to be like lemonade, but not too much, or it will just make things worse.” Joel says immediately, standing up.  

 

“If you don’t have any fresh lemons, I’ve got some lemon juice here.  You need any?  I’m just like twenty minutes away...” he says just as quickly, realizing what a hassle it would be for one of them to leave their kids unattended..

 

Geoff sighs deeply.  “That would be great Joel.  Please.  You’re the best.  I’m so glad we’ve got you in our life, you know everything....” he says  gratefully, Joel smiling at the compliment.

 

“Oh please, don’t compliment me.  My ego will get too big and my godlike forehead will be destroyed!” he mutters colorfully, suddenly feeling a sick disturbance in his own stomach, thinking back on things again....  

 

Geoff clears his throat, almost coughing on the other end.  “OH, Joel, that reminds me, I didn’t want to talk much about it since it’s still in planning, but...  Well, Barbara and I have been talking lately about a second HomeHunters thing.  We’re just now even remotely beginning to plan everything about it since Ray just popped in, but Jack and I have been wracking our brains for new parents.”

 

Joel’s breath is short, seeing where the conversation was going.

 

“Honestly, there’s nobody I’d rather have than you involved with our program.  Despite you being an ass all the time, there’s nobody in this world that I would trust more with kids.  You and Barbara both are amazing...”

 

Things start rushing through his head, ideas, plans, dreams, the possibilities....  

 

_Lindsay...  She’d...  She’d qualify...  She’s a problem case, easily..._

 

“I know the pay would utterly suck compared to where you are now, less than half, but I wanted to just sort of-” Geoff stammers, continuing his spill, beginning to trail off on the negatives, but Joel having none of that.

 

“I’ll take it.  No questions asked.  Lemme know if you need ANY help with the semantics of it with the state.  I have people who owe me big time, and I can sell my body for funds.” he states bluntly, Geoff snorting over the phone.

 

“That was quick.  Why don’t you take a few days and -”

 

Joel makes a crackling noise in his phone’s speaker.  “KKKKKKK, you’re breaking up!  I’ll bring the juice quickly, we’ll talk about it when I get there!” he mutters, clicking off his cell phone and rushing to his fridge, pulling out an almost full container of lemon juice, his fridge completely stocked with all kinds of foods, many of them experiments to his growing cooking skill.

 

He looks at the fridge and grins.  “If I’m gonna be a dad...  I need to learn what kids like to eat..” he thinks, making a mental note to hop by the bookstore at some point for a kid-friendly cookbook.

 

\---------------

 

(Present Time, Early Summer)

 

Talking things over with Geoff the night before, Joel was now faced with the horrendous reality of the situation.  Yes, Lindsay would easily qualify, and Geoff already got him on board with HH2 if they ever got enough funding.  Though...  Getting her out of Eldridge’s home might do more harm than good.  If she was acclimating, it might just be worse to take her away from another home.  Especially since it wasn’t her first rodeo, having done a great job with her other foster kids.  

 

No...  He couldn’t do that to Lindsay...  If it was  done then it was do-

 

His door swings open obnoxiously, with his good buddy Gus Sorola walking in with a smug look on his face.  “Hey dickbag, we need to talk.” he says, leaving the door wide open, and slumping tiredly on a chair in front of him.

 

He scrunches his face, giving him an irritated tone.  “Oh Jesus.  If you’re about to declare your undying love for me, I’m sorry to say I’m already spoken for.  Geoffrey and I had such a lovely time together last night!” he says snickering, Gus nodding his head.  

 

“Yeah, I heard.  Asshole.  First I lose Jack and Geoff, and I’m about to lose you too?  Bastard...  But actually, that’s why I’m here...” he mutters, his tone going serious, Joel giving him a curious expression.

 

Gus sighs.  “Listen...  If you’re gonna leave...  If this is gonna be a thing...  We can’t have a repeat performance like with Carter and the old staff...  I need you to get caught up on everything and shifting your focus a bit.  Especially this...  Tuggey case, which you seem to be obsessed over for some reason, and is a time sink for you.  You’re good, but god damn Joel...  You spend so much time on her that I’m beginning to get worried...”

 

He laughs it off.  “Oh Gus, you act like I’m-”

        

Gus cuts him off immediately.  “Joel, I’m serious on this.  This isn’t something to joke about. You’re swamped as it is, and this case isn’t a big deal, we know Eldridge is fantastic,and Caiti is more than eager to step up her game.” he says firmly.

 

He laughs it off, maintaining his same smile as always.  “Gus, she’s a sweet kid, I just want to make DOUBLY sure that nothing goes wrong!  The fire was a scary thing, I just want to be her friend a little while longer.  Though I’m beginning to think that-”

 

Gus shakes his head.  “Joel, I’m not asking, I’m TELLING you.  Drop it.  We have too much to do, especially with Jack and Geoff gone.  Give her to Cai-

 

“NO I WON’T!!” Joel screams, his kind expression melting into rage in less than a second, punching his desk as hard as he can, gaining a few odd looks from coworkers outside the door. Gus grants him an equally shocked expression, having never witnessed his friend angry before.

 

“Joel?” Gus asks with a tone of concern and fear, Joel raising his hand up, and regretting his outburst immediately.  His entire arm was sore and throbbing, and he felt web-like sensations in his arms.  

 

He shakes his head.  “Just...  Just...  I can’t....” he mutters regrettably, beginning to feel pangs of guilt well up in his body.  Gus senses the discomfort and shuts the door, locking it.

 

“Man, what is the matter with you?  Who is this kid to you, really?  I’m not buying the mistaken identity bullshit story anymore either.  I want the truth, NOW.  As your friend, not your boss, JUST TELL ME.” he says angrily, not one to enjoy semantics or bullshit, wanting the truth more than just about anything.

 

HIs office phone rings, and he picks it up immediately, hoping to evade the soon to come awkward conversation.  

 

“Joel Heyman, VD CPS how may I help you?” he asks, Gus almost hanging the phone up on him, but pulling the receiver away.

 

“Oh!  Mr. Heyman...  I’m glad I caught you...  This is Gertrude, Mrs. Eldridge’s next door neighbor?  I missed our conversation yesterday, and just had to call you!” her elderly voice says kindly, Joel cringing a bit.  He called the old bat every day or so to check up on Lindsay without being overbearing on Mrs. Eldridge, but the woman took it completely the wrong way, thinking he was flirting with her.  Not that he minded, it was a perfect cover.

 

“Gertrude, as fine of a woman as you are, today is-”

 

“You see...  I noticed something the other day that made me a little worried.  Little LIndsay...  That girl used to play out in the grass all day long when she first came around a few weeks ago, but recently, I just haven’t seen her!  Then last night I heard her crying in the garden by my fence, asking for Jay Man to come and get her...Is that yo-”

 

He hangs up on her immediately, grabbing his keys and weathered briefcase, walking towards his door.

 

“JOEL.  I’m not-”

 

He turns back to Gus.  “I’ll tell you everything...  But...  I have to go save a little girl that needs me.  A little girl who...  I’m never letting go of again.” he says firmly, unlocking the door, swinging it open and walking out, leaving a bewildered Gus behind.

 

\---------------------------------

 

(Present Time, Early Autumn)

 

Things...  Had been rough.  Despite wanting to be her father and help her move through all the stuff now thrown her way, Joel wanted Lindsay to trust other people too.  Which...  Was happening.  It was slow at first, but between Michael and Courtney, she had friends she loved being around, and liked school.  

 

Stepping out of his car as he opens the door for her, she grabs his hand tightly, nervously gazing at the home in front of her.  Her...  New home.  HIS new home.

 

“Jay…   What happened to my daddy?  Why...  Why did mommy go away?  How come I have to live with all these different people?” Lindsay asks painfully as they walk hand in hand towards the new HomeHunter household they would be staying in.  

 

Joel didn’t know what to say.  How…  How could you tell the girl the truth?  That…  Her father killed her mother over money to cover a gambling debt, her mother dying painfully grasping for air?  That her own “uncle” gave her up to foster care to give her a better life, against everything he believed in?  That her “nana” Heyman was long gone because of his own stupidity?  It was selfish of him, he knew, to keep it from her but...  It was too painful to tell her the truth.  She’d hate him, forever.  He didn’t want that...  All he wanted was to make up for lost time, and...  Be there for her...  

 

Lindsay tugged on his hand again.  “Jay?  How come?” she asks, giving him the same pair of puppy green eyes that Margaret gave him all those years ago.  

 

He doesn’t look her in the eyes.  “Welll...  That’s something...  I... “ he stutters, not wanting to lie to the child, but not having the courage to tell her the truth.

 

“ZOOIE!!” screams a little boy’s voice, Michael popping his head out of the front door and running towards the two of them, Gavin and Ray quickly behind them.

 

Her face gleams.  “JAY!  THOSE ARE MY FRIENDS FROM SCHOOL!” she exclaims, her sad question far from her mind, pulling him towards them.

 

Joel grins as he watches her release his hand and run towards them, the four of them talking in excited voices.

 

I...  I think you’ll be alright kiddo...  And...  I’ll tell you someday.

 

~

 

(Present Day)

 

“So Mr. Mom, how’s the sewing going?” Kara asks, walking into the living room, back from her lunch with Barbara in the early afternoon.  She was picking up the kids from school today, Joel still heavily involved in his sewing project.  

 

Joel smiles excitedly.  “Great!  I finished Gavin’s costume yesterday, and I’m working on Michael and Dan’s.” he says happily, throwing his ancient looking machine into gear, it loudly humming as another line was sewn.  Walking to his side, Kara notices a completely finished outfit splayed out on the table.

 

Kara grins, picking up an off-white and grey overcoat, impressed at how professional it looked with its red interior.  Hell, it looked like something that could be casually worn, not even like a costume.

 

“Joel Heyman, you never cease to amaze me.” she says in awe, shaking her head at his precise stitching.

 

She notices that his head jerks painfully to her, and the machine revving as his foot stomped on it accidentally.

 

“What’d you just say?” he asks seriously, taking Kara by surprise.  Did she strike a nerve?  

 

“Oh, I’m sorry....  I didn’t mean anything by that.  I just..  Well, I think it’s amazing how you could do anything in your spare time while the kids are at school, and..  Well, you do things for the kids and the house!  You come home, smiling like a little idiot folding underpants or working on those costumes for the kids.  I honestly didn’t think you had a happy bone in your body Joel, and it just melts my heart to see you so...  I guess fatherly!  You really do care about your family don’t you?” she exclaims proudly, giving him a beaming smile.

 

She notices that Joel seems far away, the materials in his hands trembling a bit.  “So...  I smile like an idiot you say?” he asks nervously, in a tone that Kara didn’t automatically recognize as his.

 

Kara grins.  “The dumbest of ones Grandpa Heyman!” she says snickering, taking a seat on the dining opposite him.  She couldn’t help but see that he seemed lost in thought for some reason.  

 

“Yoo hoo?  Grandpa there?  You better pay attention or little Mogar is going to have a finger sewn on to his, and I don’t think he’d appreciate that much.” she says, Joel shaking his head, rejoining the living.

 

“Well, at least the little warrior would have a trophy!” he remarks snarkily, his smile returning to his face, Kara unable to help but noticing...  

 

_Are...  Are you crying?_

  
  



	14. Caleb's Regret

****  
_A ten year old Caleb was being escorted outside of his home in Austin, and into a nearby waiting car.  He could barely see it though...  For all the people snapping pictures of him and his father, all of them talking at a thousand words per minute, pushing microphones into his general direction.  Caleb recognized some of them as the people on the news, but…  They looked a whole lot more scary than they were on TV…_   


**** **_“MR. DENACOUR, HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO ALLEGATIONS THAT YOUR WIFE WAS DRIVEN TO INSANITY?  WAS THE MATERNAL RESPONSIBILITIES HEFTED UPON HER BY THE AUSTIN BRANCH OF THE FOSTER SYSTEM TO BLAME?  WHY DID YOU NOT STOP ADOPTING CHILDREN?  WERE YOU PRESSURED INTO IT BY YOUR CASE AGENT?” asked one a little more loudly than others, Caleb not understanding what he meant by any of that._ **

**** **_Another one shot down towards Caleb, shocking him as he grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him back roughly._ **

**** **_“LITTLE BOY!  DO YOU MISS YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS?  WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED?” the man shouts, his father pushing Caleb past him, giving him a scary look, the police grabbing the scary man back, away from the two of them._ **

**** **_The doors the vehicle are opened for them, and Caleb is ushered in quickly, his father following soon after, the endless chattering of the reporters finally being drowned out. The front seat had been reserved for the officers assisting them, and the car begins pulling away._ **

**** **_He turns to his father.  “Daddy… I…  I’m scared….” He says, pulling his legs into the seat and curling into a small little ball, putting his head into his knees._ **

**** **_Caleb watches as his father sighs deeply, closing his eyes and slumping against the back of the car, shaking his head, covering his eyes with his hand._ **

**** **_“Me too son…  Me too….” He mutters painfully, his face distraught and aging by the minute._ **

**** **_His father put his other hand on Caleb’s knee and gripped it tightly.  “_ **

**** **_We’ll…  We’ll be ok Caleb, I promise…  We just gotta make it through all this, and…  We’ll be a family again…  Just you and I…  Things will be fun and happy again, I promise…  It’s just…  It’s hard right now Caleb…  And…  It’s ok to cry son…  Cry all you want….” He says, removing his hand from his face, tears falling down them, Caleb turning his own face up and seeing it._ **

**** **_“But…  Big boys don’t cry…” Caleb stammers, trying to hold back his own tears, a little bit of snot running down his nose, him sniffing it back up._ **

**** **_Caleb feels his father, put his arm around him, pulling him in for a hug.  “No Caleb…  You can cry whenever you want son...  I…  I know I am…” he says woefully, Caleb returning to his ball, not acknowledging his father, but letting a few sobs out, muffled by his knees._ **

~~~~

 The Austin high school was just as busy as ever for a Friday afternoon, Caleb watching as kids his own age rushing to their cars, hitching rides with friends, or getting on the bus.  Normally he walked home, enjoying the exercise and catching a bus once he hit a certain point if he had the money to.  Or if he were watching kids, his father would pick him up and take him where he needed to go.  Though none of that was accurate today, Caleb waiting on his ride from Mr. Ramsey.  He had been watching the man’s foster children that entire week while he and his brother attended to things out of the home each afternoon.

It was a good gig, and could mean big things for him.

He feels a firm hand on his shoulder.  “CALEB.  Do you not ever answer your phone?  I’ve been trying to get you for a while, what’s up man?” he starts, patting him on the back and smiling his goofy little grin.

Caleb closes his eyes, cursing for having not hidden better.  Jordan Cwierz, his best friend since his childhood had found him again.  He was tall, thin, with dark brown hair and matching goatee.  Despite being a reserved individual, he was one of the most popular kids in school, frequently one of the best dressed, and incredibly fun to be around.  He did this funny trick with flip sticky-pad books, doing silly little stick people doing goofy things.  Jordan was a riot at parties, and he tried to make Caleb tag along.  

They weren’t fun for him though...  Just a reminder of one more thing his brothers and sisters would never get to experience.

 Jordan releases his grip, his usually plastered smile slowly fading.  

“Dude, listen…  I’m worried about you lately.  I mean, it’s one thing for you to be busy with all the sitting you do, and I’m glad that you’re making a killing, but you look like you're not having any fun anymore!  Doing...  ANYTHING.  I’m..  I’m worried man...” he says, Caleb recoiling as his touch, backing away.

He shakes his head.  “Jordan…  It’s…  This month…  Six years…Since…  The accident.”

Jordan intakes a deep breath, rubbing his head painfully.  “Caleb, man… oh my god...  I’m so sorry, I didn’t-“ he starts in a rushed tone, but Caleb puts on a fake smile.

 “I know Jordan, it’s fine..  Just…  I want to keep busy.  I don’t like being in my head right now, and I’m not a fun person to be around, so...  Just...  Keep your distance for a while, and I’ll be fine eventually.” he mutters seriously, trying to put on a brave tone.

 Jordan shakes his head.  “No…  Something else is wrong with you man, I can feel it.  It’s like…  You’re disconnecting from everyone…  Everyone but the kids you work with…  Just pushing everyone away, and...”

**_Because I am Jordan… I…  I don’t deserve a life…  I just want to pay my debt for as long as I live, making it up to as many kids as I can, making sure I don’t...  Hurt anyone ever again..._  ** 

Cutting Jordan’s continuing speech off, a pale green van pulls up, Mr. Ramsey opening the door for him, grinning.  “Hey Caleb!  Ready?  We can wait for a few minutes ify ou wanna finish up with your friend!”

He shook his head.  “Sorry, my ride’s here Jordan…  I’ll..  Talk to you later!” he mutters, hopping into the car quickly, throwing his school bag at his feet.

 “Wait!” he says, Caleb stopping before he closes the door, Jordan fiddling with something in his jacket.

 “Uh...  I hope you get to feeling better man...  Maybe this will make you get a little chuckle at least...” he says, handing a small sticky-note pad, turning around and heading off to his own car, shutting the door for Caleb.

 After  fastening his seat belt, he begins flipping through it, the pad animating a little stick version of himself throwing a frisbee around with Jordan as kids, knocking his friend painfully in the head and passing out, little birdies flying around his head comically.  It really was cute.

Caleb chuckled and grinned, not saying much as Mr. Ramsey gets them on the road, his smile soon fading as the warmth of Jordan’s small gesture wears off.    

~~~~

Gavin bounced up and down excitedly in Mr. Reed’s room at his desk, waiting for his Dad to come pick him and his brothers up.  Caleb was going to be babysitting them again that day, and Cameron was going to come visit him tomorrow, coming back from big kid school and they were going to go see a play!  He didn’t know what that was really, but Cameron said it would be fun and have a lot of good music in it, so he was excited.

Humming quietly while he waited, he hears someone walk behind him, wondering if Ray was going to jump on him again.    

“Gavin...” says a boy’s voice, and Gavin froze immediately.  He knew immediately who it was, and wasn’t eager to face him.  Turning around slowly, it was Chris Demarais...  

 Chris was a little taller than Gavin was, had dark brown hair, light brown eyes and usually made funny faces, smiling a lot.  Michael said he was the class clown, Mr. Reed having to shush him and his friend Brandon a lot in class...  They sat behind him and his brothers, and...  Wasn’t very nice to Gavin...  He’d pulled his hair last week, then said mean stuff to him when he didn’t sing for him...  His brothers had gotten him away, but...  Gavin didn’t want to have his hair pulled again..  It hurt!

 Looking down at the floor, Chris wasn’t really doing anything threatening though...  “Hi Gavin...  Um...Can I tell you something?” he asks in an oddly shy voice, but Gavin still a little nervous around him, not sure what to expect.

 Not waiting for a reply, Chris continues, turning his face up and looking Gavin square in the face.  “I’m...  I’m sorry I was mean to you last week, I feel bad...” Chris says, looking really sad, Gavin smiling at his friendly tone.

 Gavin stands up from his chair, smiling, not as scared as he was before, relaxing quickly.  “It’s ok Chris!  Just don’t pull my hair anymore, it hurts a lot!” he says, rubbing his head and smiling, Chris nodding in agreement.  

“I promise Gavin!  No more hair pulling.” he says firmly, the two of them exchanging a few moments of awkward silences, Chris finally pulling something out of his pocket.  A small, brightly colored envelope, he hands it to Gavin.  “Um...  It’s my birthday next week..  I wanted to know if you wanted to come to my party..  I...  I kind of want to be your friend if that’s ok...  You’re...  You’re nice Gavin, and...  You didn’t tattle on me...And...  You really do sing good...  Like the best in the whole school!” he says excitedly, Gavin blushing at his compliment.

 “I’ll ask my daddy if I can!  Thank you Chris!” he says, offering his hand for a shake, but instead being pulled backwards, by some strong force, Chris’s face dropping as he’s taken away.

“Go away Chris!  You’re a bully and I don't’ want you hurting Gavin!” Michael says firmly, him and Dan pulling Gavin away from him, leaving immediately as he notices his fathers waiting outside the door.

He waves back.  “Bye Chris!” Gavin manages to say before getting out of his range.

 ~

Chris frowned, walking defeatedly back to Brandon, who was holding an envelope of his own, grinning big.  

 Brandon Farmahini was his best friend, the two of them having lived next door since they born.  Their moms and dads were friends too, so they always hung out together.  Brandon was about as tall as he was, with curly black hair and golden brown eyes.  Even though he was really funny, Brandon looked real serious a lot of the time, just like his daddy.

Not that day though, Brandon was all smiles, always liking Fridays since they didn’t have to go to school and could play games all weekend together!

“Chris!  Is Gavin coming to your birthday too?  He’s seems real cool!” Brandon asks excitedly, his question answered quickly as Chris shakes his head, him frowning sadly.

 “No...  Michael told me not to go near Gavin cuz I was mean...  I didn’t mean to hurt him...  I just wanna be friends with him...I wouldn’t have been mean again..” he says painfully, sounding terribly disappointed.

Brandon’s face turns from happy to mad in an instant, his eyes turning fiercely angry, again just like his daddy.

 “Well they’re butt heads Chris!  We don’t have to like them!  EVER!  I’m your friend, and we’ll have the best party ever, together!” he says angrily, patting Chris on the back, the boy looking still upset about it.

 Brandon sighs.  “Did your mommy give you any more to give out?  You could just ask someone else!”

 Chris shakes his head. “No..  She said just one friend ‘sides you....  And...  I don’t got any more...  And...  Gavin took it anyway...” he says painfully.

 Brandon frowned, seeing Chris sad, huffing through his nose.  “Well...  Maybe Gavin will come!  He got the invitation didn’t he!?” he asks reassuredly, trying to put on a smile.

 He shakes his head again.  “No...  Probably not...  Nobody ever wants to play with us Brandon...” he mutters resentfully.

The two share sad glances, as they feel a hand on each of their shoulders.

 “Brandon!  Chris!  Your ride is here!” Mr. Reed says calmly by their ears, the two of them turning around to see their caretaker, Ms. Sveta there to take them home.

~~~~

It was the last day of the HomeHunter gig for Caleb early that Friday afternoon.  Carter had been right, the kids were a handful, though Caleb was more than thrilled to work with HomeHunters, the dads were amazing individuals who already told him to use them as a reference, and to keep up the good work.   

First there was Michael, who required constant attention, was LOUD, and on the move the second he walked in the door from the second he walked out of it.  Though he was like most boys his own age, so that didn’t bother Caleb as much, he just required a more watchful eye and was the most likely to do something stupid.

 Then there was Gavin, who was a shy little thing that tagged along with Michael everywhere, or who played with one of the next door boys constantly.  Caleb hated that the boy never said much of anything to him but a few basic instructions if he needed anything, and wanted nothing more than to give him a big hug anytime he did something cute.  Though he was VERY easy in the evenings, the boy waiting fervently by the telephone flipping through some leather book, for some nightly phone call from one of his other brothers off in college.

 Then...  There was Ray...  

 That one was the real mystery, and Caleb wondered about him a lot.  He didn’t want to play outside with his brothers much, instead always playing with a little girl next door in their shared backyard garden, watering flowers or talking about some show.  Just... just talking the whole day long, never wanting to do much himself.  That, or would sit inside staring blankly at some teenage boy named Miles played video games in the living room, hiding behind a couch, not making a peep, taking in the action on screen as though it were some big dramatic scene.

“CALEB!  I wanna play hide and seek!” Michael screams demandingly, bouncing up and down excitedly with Gavin as soon as the two changed out of their good clothes, running out of their hallway and right in front of him..  

“Oh..  Um..  Caleb, can you put this to give to my Daddy Jack?”  He grins, handing him an eloquently designed and brightly colored envelope.  Based on Gavin’s accent, he wondered if he’d been accepted to Hogwarts from the beautiful quality of it...  Nodding his head to Gavin, he puts it on the kitchen counter, where it was easily visible.

“there we go Gavin, all taken care of!  Now, you guys ready to go play?” he says excitedly, putting on his best smile, both of them looking eager to star.

Though he turns first, peering at Ray, who was once again hiding behind Miles, watching him play some colorful racing game on the screen.

“How about you Ray?  You want to join us?” Caleb asks, knowing he couldn’t full well take off with just two of the kids, leaving the other one alone would just be an invitation for something to go wrong.  Besides, the other kid would probably just ignore him if he needed something, let alone if the kid got set on fire...

Ray shook his head.  “No thanks.  I’m just gonna sit here...” he says quietly, his attention not broken for a minute, watching as Miles zoomed past another car in his racing game

_**What a waste of time...  Why on earth wouldn’t you want to go out and play?!  More importantly though...  He never wanted to see siblings not getting along...  Ever...** _

 “Come on Ray, let’s get you out and about!  Your brothers would love to have you along, and we’d have a lot more fun with you!” he says in a peppy tone, Ray groaning a bit.  

 “I...”

  Michael grabs him by the hand and yanks him off the couch.  “Come on Ray!  Gavin’s too easy to find!  You’re the best hider there is!” he barks, Ray attempting to dig his heels into the floor, but unsuccessfully finding himself a playdate with Michael and Gavin.

\---

 Barbara couldn’t help but smile, watching as Matt brightly gave her information, unable to contain his excitement at the prospect of working with them.  Having been the only one they hired, he was the new low man on the totem pole, and would be handling a majority of the paperwork or menial tasks that the senior staff needed him to do.  Maybe processing children as they came through, or being there for kids while they waited on their case agents.  That was the REAL need right then, since most of the kids that had been in Kara and Joel’s care went to them, or to trustworthy regular staff. 

 What their staff needed right then was someone to keep them straight and organized as they began another shift in personnel, and Matt was clearly the best for the job, so eager to prove himself and move up, even before starting.

As they quickly went through a majority of the hiring papers and the complexity of federal payroll tax forms, the two exchange smalltalk, waiting on her horrendously slow computer to process the data, some five or ten minute intervals between each data entry.

“So...  Matt...  Is there a Mrs. Hullum?” she asks quizzically, giving him a questioning smile, just making pleasant conversation.

He grins.  “Well...  Maybe someday...  There is this woman I’m dating, and we’re getting fairly serious, so...  Well...  Who knows!” Matt says, blushing, caught in a torrent of memories, clearly fond of the person.  Barbara smiled.  She loved seeing people in love.

Shaking his head off, he looks back at Barbara.  “So what about you?  Is there a Ken to Barbie?” he asks, her blushing, immediately her thoughts running back to that night with her and Geoff as he took care of her.  

 Nothing even remotely romantic had happened, short of him holding a bucket for her as she vomited, but...  Well, that man was something special, and she’d been thinking about him a lot lately, enjoying her case visits more than usual lately.  

 A wonderful father, a great ex-agent, a fantastic friend, such a fun individual, and...  Someone who really was trying to make the world a better place.  And that beard stubble..  It was...  

 Blushing like a tomato, lost in her own thoughts, Matt waves his hand, getting her attention, her letting out a little laugh, realizing how long of an awkward silence there had been.

“Well...  Uh...  I don’t think so Matt...  I guess there is someone, but I doubt I’m someone he’d ever be interested in...  We’re...  We’re just two different people...” she says painfully, thinking about his tattoos, his past, and wondering about what he REALLY thought of her.

 Matt snorted.  “Barbie, I saw that look.  You’re smitten!” he says  playfully, her slapping his hand, shaking her head and just laughing at him.

 “Well so what if I am?” she says, her smile plastered on her face.

 ------

 Joel began wondering if bringing a small child to a Thai restaurant had been the smartest idea, noting that Dan hadn’t really been picking at his food successfully, looking uncomfortable.  Maybe it was the atmosphere, everything really dark except for candles, perhaps them sitting on pillows and positioned weirdly around a table littered with food.  Or maybe he was just intimidated by the odd appearance of the food, fearing the taste that might come..

But Joel was glad Dan agreed to come, and saw it as a positive step in his recovery.

 Dan was still rough around people he didn’t know, and even having lived with Joel since they started the second HomeHunters program, he wasn’t open around him.  All he wanted was a chance to be Dan’s father and be trusted.  Which was hard for him...  Kara was a lot more fun and happy to be around than he was anyway, him knowing full well that all he was good for was cooking and general care.  Still..  It was a role that he enjoyed playing, and was more than willing to accept it, glad to finally have a purpose again serving these children directly.

 Finally, he gives Joel a concerned expression.  “Umm...  Joel, are you sure this stuff is...  Safe to eat?” he asks cautiously, holding up a piece of pork, it covered in a thick sauce.

He chuckles.  “Of course.  It’s a little spicy, but I promise it’s good!  Just try it!” he says in a comforting tone, knowing very well not to joke with the child over the food, it a very touchy subject for him.  It was all mildly seasoned, and should be fine for him, he didn’t order anything TOO exotic.   

 The boy pops the food into his mouth and chews a bit, smiling at the taste of it, and immediately going for another bite, apparently having liked the first one, now chowing down quickly. 

  _ **Good..  You eat as MUCH as you want kiddo.**_

 He hoped that by taking Dan to different kinds of restaurants every week, they’d have something to talk about with strange foods and difference atmospheres, all the while getting him some extra calories, the boy still far too skinny for his own good.  Besides...  The kid never got to experience much “fun” in his dining rituals with his old family, and it was high time he got to.

Watching the boy stuff his mouth, he can’t help but smile, him thrilled at his fun expression.  

“So...  Danny-boy...  You excited for Halloween?” Joel asks, hoping his son would enjoy the costume he’d made.  He’d been working on them since before it was even October, and were actually quite good, even by his own high standards.

 Dan looks up at him, almost perturbed.  “What’s Halloween?” he asks curiously, in a tone that suggested he’d never heard of the thing.

Joel’s face fell.  “You know...  All hallow’s eve?  Trick or treating?  Dressing up in costumes?  Eating candy until you’re sick?!”

 He shook his head, clearly confused.

 Realization hits him, and his heart sinks.  He forgets about Dan’s situation, and remembers what Kara had told him...  That Dan never got to leave that dirty little hovel of a home they lived in, his parents far too concerned with their own damn high or getting caught to take him anywhere, that door locked up tight in front of him, just like his heart was now.

_**Oh...  I guess...  You probably wouldn’t have....** _

Dan just sat there, mindlessly drinking his soda, waiting for a response, Joel rubbing his forehead.  

 “Well..  Halloween is where all the little kids dresses up in fun costumes and goes to other peoples’ houses.  You ring their doorbell, yell “Trick or Treat!”, and if the people are nice enough, they’ll give you free candy!  Lots and lots of it! ”

 The boy’s ears perk up, absolutely stunned by the news..  “Nuh uh!  Da----  Joel, you're just teasing me again!” he says, blushing, and trying to sink back into the cushy pillow.

_**What was that?  Did he almost call me...** _

Joel grinned.  “I promise!  You can probably ask Gavin or Michael and they’d know what it is!  We’re all gonna go together as a big group, knock on all the door and get a big bucket of candy!  Then after we look through all your candy to make sure it’s safe, and I steal all the good stuff, you guys can have the leftovers...  But I guess I could spare a candy bar or two for...  My favorite  **son**...” he says playfully, hoping Dan took the hint.  

 Dan blushed, trying once again to force his way into his cushy pillow, but eyeing Joel seriously.

 “You...  You promise?  You’re not just kidding?” he asks nervously.

Joel nods.  “I promise...”

 He smiles.  “WHEN IS IT!” he asks excitedly, and the two begin talking eagerly about other holidays and events that the poor boy probably never got to experience.

 ------

Ray slumps against the house, hiding behind the bush on the side of the house.  He was good at hiding since he was so tiny, but it was boring.  He especially hated that he was missing Miles playing his racing game.  That was the only game he could play good, and wanted to learn how to play better.  

 In a sulky expression, he huffed.

“I hate hide and go seek.  It’s so stupid!  Stupid Michael.  Stupid Gavin.  Stupid Caleb.  I don’t wanna go outside!  It stinks.” he says, folding his arms angrily, waiting to be found so he could go back inside.  He wished Courtney would come back soon, she never made him play stupid games, she was happy just looking at flowers or watching TV.   

 ~

On his latest lap, Miles was grinning ear to ear.  He was going to FINALLY annihilate Geoff’s time trial record, and couldn’t wait to rub it in his face.  That man was a hoot when he lost at games, and never took losses well, always eager to reclaim his rightful place.

 But just as he reached the finish line, the Xbox shut off, the TV as well, completely blackened.  

 Controlling his rage  by counting to ten, he resists the urge to scream, knowing that he’s in someone else’s home, and breaking something would likely get him ejected from the best place he’d ever lived at...

 “Hurry up and find me already!  Grrrr....  I’m wanna go back in!  Stupid game....” he hears Ray say, but unsure of where the noise had come from.  Miles was pretty sure Caleb took the kids outside, so...

 “Huuuuuurrrrrryyyyyyyyyy uppppp!” Ray whines, and Miles hears it plainly, the noise coming from the nearby window that faced the other home hunter house.  Walking over to it, he raises it up and pokes his head out, wondering what was making Ray so upset...

 ~

“So why you mopin’ there Ray-Ray?” Miles says jeeringly, staring out of the window right above him, giving a somewhat concerned appearance.

 Ray turns his head up backwards, a little surprised to see Miles poking his head out, jumping at first, scared from him coming out of nowhere!

_**Oh wait....** _

“Did...  Did you hear me?” he asks nervously, not realizing he’d been THAT loud.

 Miles nodded his head.  “Yeah, I heard ya little guy.  Every word.  What’s wrong with you?  I’ve never seen you mad before!” he asks casually, wriggling his way out of the window, plopping behind the bush with Ray, sitting cross-legged right next to him.  

He sighs.  “My girlfriend went shopping with Lindsay and Auntie Kara.  Dan’s busy with Grandpa Joel today about something, and so I got nobody to play with....” Ray admits, looking a little sad.

 Miles laughs.  “Little man, you’ve got Gavin and Michael!  Caleb’s here too watching over ya’ll!  That guy’s a lot of fun, you should just go play with him!” he suggests, Ray shaking his head angrily.

 “Yeah, well I am, and look where they put me!” he says angrily, Miles snorting from his little angry explosion.  

“Ray, are you having a hissy fit?  That is adorable!” he asks, almost in fits at the scene, Ray’s face turning to one of genuine terror, taking Miles by complete surprise.

 “No!  No!  Oh I’m sorry!  Don’t...  I.....I didn’t...” he says, almost in tears at this point, hyperventilating, his lips trembling, looking afraid.

 Miles’s mouth drops, and he pulls the kid into his lap.  “Ray!  What’s wrong?  It’s ok buddy, I promise!  You’re fine!  Just breathe deep!” he says, rubbing Ray’s back, the child calming down a bit...

 “I’m...  I’m sorry, I won’t be bad...” he says worriedly  Miles unsure of where this side of Ray had come from.  He’d never seen the kid so upset before.  

 Calming down, Ray frowns, looking back up at Miles.

“I didn’t mean to be bad saying that stuff...  I just don’t like playing outside...  It’s ok if we go to the park and have stuff to do like swing or play in sand, but if I’m home...  I uh...  I...  I’d rather just...  Watch you and Ryan play video games...  Maybe...  Play some too?  If...  You and Ryan aren’t...Um...  Busy...” he says sheepishly.

It took him awhile, but Miles got it, his words clicking into place, slapping his head at his own stupidity.  Ray always sat there watching him play games to the side, always asking him hundreds of annoying questions that Ryan would answer for him.  He was probably embarrassed to hang out with Miles  since he was so much more older, but..  That kid probably was a lot like him...   Damn...  Poor kid.    

 Putting on a cocky attitude, he grins.  “Well Ray-Ray, I’m not sure why you wanna hang out with a loser like me, and a stinky butt like your brother but you know...  I’d love you to play video games with me!  I get bored by myself too, so it’s even better!  Besides, you’re WAY better than you brother anyway!” he says ruffling Ray’s hair.

 “REALLY?” Ray asks with a big smile, Miles nodding.  

 “Yep!  Let’s head on in!  We can play WHATEVER you want!” he says happily, glad to maybe not be TOO useless around the house, deciding then and there to be there for Ray.  

 As he and Miles get up from their spot, both of them smiling together, a loud whining noise is heard, and the two of them look beside the bush they had been sitting near.  

Crawling out of a small hole by the bottom of the porch was a little ball of black and brown fur, but hobbling, and unable to do much of anything quickly.  It had huge ears that dangled over its head.

 Ray smiled immediately.  “AHH!  Miles!  It’s a puppy!   I LOVE PUPPIES!” he excitedly said, attempting to pick the small pooch up, but it shrieking in pain as he touched it, Ray recoiling as it yelped.  Miles steps in quickly, pushing Ray back and taking a better look at it.  Taking better stock, he immediately saw it.  Its front right leg was covered in blood, and it was snarling angrily as Miles began moving its fur to the side, getting a clear look at a few openly infected wounds.  They looked like teeth marks, from a pretty big animal.  He’s undeterred as the growling gets louder, but noting that the dog wasn’t biting him.

“Hey now, calm down, I just wanna help you.  I ain’t gonna hurt ya none, ok?” Miles says, looking the dog in the eyes, petting him gently on the head, removing his hand from the injured area, the dog ceasing its growling quickly, returning to its sad whine...

 Ray tugs on Miles’s shirt.  “Miles, where’s the puppy’s mommy?  Isn’t it just a little baby dog?  Shouldn’t it have a mommy?”  

His heart breaks, looking back and seeing a clearly distraught Ray look at the little dog with... Such painful looking eyes...

Miles shakes his head.  “Well Ray...  It may not have a Mommy anymore...  It might have lost her...” he says, hating to say such things, but... Remembering how Geoff didn't bullshit the kids too much, hoping he was doing the right thing.

“Awww....  Poor puppy....It’s ok!  I don’t have a mommy anymore either.” Ray says sadly, picking it up and hugging it, this time mindful of its leg, cuddling it to death.

~

 “FOUND YOU RAY!  THAT WAS SO EASY!” says Michael, tagging Ray on the back of the shoulder,  giving him a dirty look.  “RAY!  You’re supposed to be hii.....”

 He sees it immediately as ray turns around from his slap.  Ray had a little puppy in his arms, the dog licking his hands, and the....  

RED stuff all over it....  All over its legs...  That disgusting smell overwhelmed him immediately, and everything in his brain shut down.

 Ray had a sad look on his face, holding the dog up, showing it to michael, getting the dog within inches of his face.  “Michael!  I found a puppy, but it’s hurt!  Go get Ca-”

 “AHHH!  NO!  GET IT AWAY FROM ME!” Michael screams loudly, pushing Ray and the dog away and rushing away from it, falling back on the grass as he trips, the boy with a very frightened expression, trembling at the sight of it, breathing quickly.

Caleb careens around the corner hearing the scream and rushes towards them, with Gavin close behind him, sprinting towards them, and checking Michael over immediately.  “Michael?  Are you ok?  Did you get hu-” he begins,  looking up and seeing Ray holding a tiny little puppy.

 “Put that thing down right this instant Ray, it might be infected with something!  We’ll call the pound immediately and make sure they-”

 “But Caleb!  It doesn’t have a mommy!  We gotta make it all better!” he says, with pleading eyes, the dog whining in unison with Ray.

Miles gets between the two of them, Ray sheltering the puppy from Caleb’s advance.

“Listen, my best friend Kerry’s mom is a vet, and her and Mr. Ramsey are good friends.  Let me call her, and she’ll come get it and check it out.  There’s no need to call the pound and scare the kids, she makes house calls.  It’s free too, she did it all the time when my mom had a cat.” he says authoritatively, Caleb shaking his head.

“Absolutely not.  What if that thing is rabid or has some kind of disease?!  If it bites one of the kids-”

Without wasting a second, Miles takes the tiny dog from Ray and cradles it in his arms, mindful of the injury.  

 “There.  I’ll hold it until she gets here, and the kids can stay away from me.  You’re not being paid to watch me, so shut up and let me call her.” Miles retorts angrily, giving him a serious attitude, much to Caleb’s displeasure.

“Listen, kid, you’ve already put Michael in a little fit with that dog.  Put that thing back down befo-”

 “OH, AND SO IT’S OK TO TRAUMATIZE RAY THEN?!  YOU CALL THE WOMAN, OR I’LL WALK THERE MYSELF.  I GUARANTEE THAT WOULD PISS GEOFF OFF WORSE THAN YOU CALLING ONE OF HIS CLOSE FRIENDS.” he yells rather fiercely, Caleb taken aback from his outburst.

 Feeling little hands on his shirt tugging wildly, he looks down.

 “PLEASE CALEB!  I DON’T WANT THE DOGGIE TO BE ALONE OR SICK!  PLEASE!  PLEASE!  PLEASE!  PLEASE!” Ray cries, little tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

Caleb looks down at the small child pulling at his shirt, and his eyes widen, unable to believe how...  oddly perfect that was.

~

_**“PLEASE CALEB!  I DON’T WANT TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING WITH MOMMY!  PLEASE!  PLEASE!  PLEASE!  CAN I GO WITH YOU!?” Sammy asks, pulling on the back of Caleb’s shirt, him pushing him away.** _

__ _**The boy pulling on his shirt was barely six or seven, with black hair and dark brown eyes.  It was Sammy, one of his “brothers” his parents got.** _

__ _**Caleb gave him a dirty look.  “No!  You’re a butthead!  You’re mommy’s new favorite, so go have fun with her!  I’m playing at the park with Jordan, and we’re gonna have fun playing games and you can’t come!” he says hatefully, his father sighing, waiting at the front door, with keys in hand.** _

__ _**“Caleb...  We love all of you equally.  Why not take your little brother with you?  It’s not like Jordan would mind, and you two could bond!  We’re  just going to the park, there’s plenty of roo-”** _

_**He s** _ _**hakes his head.  “NO!  I don’t want him to come daddy!  This was OUR day together!  You PROMISED!” Caleb yells angrily, almost in tears at this point, his father shaking his head painfully.** _

__ _**His father nods.  “I did promise... “ he mutters, watching as Caleb rushes out of the house angrily, not even saying goodbye to his little brother.** _

__ _**Sammy frowns, crestfallen.** _

__ _**Mark crouches down to the boys’ level, patting him on the head, ruffling his hair.  “Next time Sammy, I promise...  And don’t worry...  Your brother will come around.  He’s just...  He’s just a little jealous.”** _

__ _**He shakes his head.  “No...  Caleb hates me...” he says hurt, rushing away from his father, back into the house.** _

 ~

Michael peers behind Caleb, watching as Ray tears up, begging him to help them out, Miles arguing loudly still.  

Then he heard it...  A high pitched whine coming out of Miles’s arms, the dog looking directly at Michael’s face, his little brown eyes watering, almost sad looking...  Like the little puppy was crying, asking for his help...

  _ **That puppy...  It looked like...**_

 “Is...  Is it hurting?” Michael asks painfully, looking away quickly as Miles turned to him, revealing the bloody foot again to him.

 “Yes Michael, it looks like some animal hurt him.  He probably just needs a doctor and someone to give it lots of love, and he’d be just fine!”  he says plainly, not removing his attention from Caleb’s face, still giving him a dirty look.

_**Something...  Hurt that little puppy?  Why?  It couldn’t hurt no one!** _

 Tears well up in Michael’s eyes, suddenly feeling very sorry for the little thing, remembering how much it hurt when his daddy hit him.  He never hurt no one either...  

 Michael comes out from behind Caleb, and makes his way slowly towards it, the dog still whining and staring at him painfully.

Hesitantly, he puts his hand up to the dog’s face and pats it gently on the head.

“It’s...  It’s ok little puppy...  You’ll be ok...  We...  We won’t let nobody hurt you no more...  I pro....-” he says in a broken voice, cracking painfully.

 He flinches as the dog shifts in Miles’s arms, nuzzling it head into Michael’s hand, almost touching him with the bleeding leg, making him almost jerk back completely.  Taking a few moments, he calms himself, and returns to petting him.

“I promise....” he finishes, the dog shutting its eyes peacefully, ending its whines, looking comfortable in Miles’s arms, despite its painful looking boo-boo.

 Caleb sighs.  “Where’s her number?  And you keep that dog in check kid, or I’ll throw it out myself, understand?” he mutters angrily, Miles nodding in agreement.

 ----

Inside Caiti’s home, Jack and Caiti sat at her dinner table, papers spread out, the two of them sitting across from one and other.

It had been a little awkward at first, but somehow, Jack and Caiti had begun a mutual friendship.  What started as a thank you dinner turned into meetings about future HomeHunter additions.  Smaller ones, maybe for just kids that didn't do well with a big family dynamic, that needed one on one attention.  With Barbara taking on more serious duties as the new Vice-Director, most of the HomeHunter logistics had fallen into Caiti's lap, hence their nightly meetings that week, hoping to launch something on a smaller scale in the coming year.

Though if Jack was honest with himself, their business plan had been finished since Wednesday, the two of them just enjoying each other’s company, both of them sharing life stories, really just going over nitpicky budget details that weren’t even all that important anymore.

 The two of them, in mid conversation, Jack can’t help but be flabbergasted at how amazing of a woman Caiti was.

 "So wait, you actually worked for THE Sinclair foundation?  That's like the BIGGEST child services charity!  Why on earth would you want to leave that?!  I tried for months to get in there, they wouldn't even CONSIDER my application, and I had a freaking 3.8 GPA!" He asks excitedly, Caiti looking firmly at the paperwork in front of her, looking just a tad distant.

 "Uh..  Differences between me and my supervisor.  We had different ideas about we needed to to our job, and...  Well, I guess I wanted to work directly with kids in the end.  I've always wanted to be a mother, and...  Well...   Be a better mother than I--"

She cuts herself off, shaking her head.  "Oh, never mind that Jack, what about you?  You started HomeHunters!  That's way more impressive!!  It’s more expensive, but it’s a great thing that you’re doing!” she says excitedly, putting on a faked smile, trying not to think about what she’d almost spilled out of her mouth.

 He chuckled.  "Caiti, you’d be horrified if you knew how THAT all went down.  I swear Geoff had some of our ideas and accounting math on paper napkins in restaurants...” he said, the two of them laughing over the joke, both of them adjusting their glasses at nearly the same time, bumping their arms, both of them blushing slightly.

Clearing his throat, Jack lets out a deep sigh.  “Well, I think we’re done here...  Thanks for all your help Caiti, I really do appreciate all your help!” he says, a little sad that their time had to end.

 Gasping, Caiti brings her hand to her mouth.  “Oh!  Jack, I almost forgot!” she says, jumping up from her chair and rushing to grab a wrapped box on the counter of her kitchen.  Walking back inside, she hands it to Jack.

 “A present for little Ryan!  His birthday is today, right?  It’s not much, but I heard from Joel how well he’s doing in school, and I couldn’t help but want to get him something for that.  It’s a new leather messenger bag, hopefully he’d be ok with it, it's what all the boys like these days....” she says shyly.

 Jack smiled.

_**You incredibly thoughtful person....** _

 “Well Caiti, why don’t you come over tonight and give it to him yourself?  We’re having a little party when he gets back from the Courthouse, and you can see Courtney!” he says, pushing the gift back into her hands.

Her face lights up.  “Really?  Oh you wouldn’t mind?  I’d hate to make anything awkward, since I’m not really part of the fami-”

 Jack shakes his head.  “Absolutely not, I’d love to have you there!  And you ARE a part of our family Caiti.  You might as well give in and join the dysfunction of it all, there is no escaping our vortex!” he says jokingly, her laughing at him.  

 “Well...  I that case, I’d love to come Jack...” she says, her face a priceless treasure, in that same happy expression that just made his heart melt time and again.

\---

Ryan and Geoff slowly walked out of the state courthouse, hopping down the stone steps, the older man clutching a huge folder of papers under his arms.  It had taken the entire week and a lot of prep work the previous couple of days, but…  The deed was done.  

"Sure about this kiddo?  It's not to late to run back in there!  You might hate me next week!" Geoff says sarcastically, Ryan rolling his eyes in response, but stopping him, pulling him down, the two of them sitting together on the bottom step, watching as the sun began to turn the sky a mixture of pink and orange.

"Dad...  You...  You gave me a new home, gave me a new life, and...  A family.  My brothers...  You let my best friend live with us when he was down...  I’ve got people...  People that care about me..  You especially..  You're there for me, turning down a million dollar gig to stick with us!  You've all been more of a family to me than my real mother and father ever was...  And...  I love you dad...  There is nothing more that I wanted for my birthday than this.  And..  Thank you for doing this for me all week, I know how busy you are with all the other kids." He mutters, turning his face and Geoff getting a solid look at his beaming face.

_**Incredible...** _

 Ryan wasn't that scrawny little kid anymore that hid in his oversized hoodie.  Yeah, he still had some internal scars, some real big ones that would be tested as his hormones kicked in, and as he started seeing the real world.  But...  For right then...  He was happy, and Geoff promised himself he’d try his damndest to make sure he kept that way.  He looked like a man, a strong one.

 Geoff put his hand on Ryan’s shoulder, gripping it tightly.

 "Maybe so...  But you're the one who is working through all this.  I didn't do jack crap.  YOU, all you buddy.  You're the one who's getting the good grades, getting healthy, making the academic team, and being a kick-ass big brother and a fantastic friend to Miles.  You could have just been angry at the world, and nobody would have ever blamed you or tried to tell you otherwise.  No...  Not you.  You chose life buddy...  You chose to live, and...  I'm so proud of you..." He says, Ryan looking a bit red in the face, embarrassed at the praise.

 "You...  You're a hell of a lot stronger than I was at your age..." He finishes memories of his past flashing painfully across his face.

Ryan shakes his head, pushing Geoff off him, the man still entranced in his own thoughts.  

 "Ok, enough with the cheese fest, get your shit together dad, this ain't’ some bad movie where we hug and kiss is it? Because that is not going to fly with me." He says, slapping his shoulder, and pulling him up from the sidewalk.

"Why Ryan James Ramsey, is that ANY way to talk to your father?" He playfully asks, the boy rushing past his attempted kiss on the head, unable to contain his grin, him running quickly away from his father, the two of them enveloped in a funny looking chase scene towards the parking lot, getting them a few odd looks from nearby pedestrians.

 ---

Jack’s not sure what he’s walking into,with a strange car is parked outside their house, Caiti in tow behind him.  Opening the front door, he immediately witnesses Elena Shawcross bandaging an extremely cute dog’s leg on the dining table, with Caleb and Miles holding it down.

 “When did our dining table become an OR, what’s-”

 Caiti raises her hands to her mouth and lets out an audible squeak, cutting Jack off.  “AWWW...  Poor puppy!  What happened here?!” she asks, her voice full of painful concern as she pushes past Jack, standing a safe distance away, but slowly petting the dog’s ear, the dog’s tail wagging in response to her touch.

Elena smiles, giving Caiti a friendly nod.  “Oh nothing too too serious, the poor thing probably just got into a struggle with a bigger dog and lost.  It’s little, so it didn’t know any better than to leave the wound alone.  A little infected, but nothing I can’t fix up,  he’ll be right as rain soon enough!” she says,   

Caleb looks up from the dog and gives him a nervous look.  “My apologies sir, I know I should have just kept it out of the house, but I-” he mutters embarrassingly Miles cutting him off by slapping him on the shoulder.

 “Nah, Caleb didn’t do anything.  Ray got all upset seeing the hurt puppy, and Michael got worried too. Caleb told me to keep it outside, but I said to call Mrs. Shawcross or I’d walk the dog to her clinic myself.  It’s my fault, completely” he admits, shrugging, Jack raising his eyebrows.  

 Looking around, he takes a glance or two, realizing the boys weren’t even in the house. “So where are the boys?”

“Elena didn’t want any tiny distractions, so they’re talking to some Teddy Bear in Gavin’s room.” Caleb says, returning to his position with Miles, holding the dog firmly in place, it haven’t moved from their release anyway, making them useless in the long run anyway.

 Jack shakes his head. “Ok... So...It’s just a stray then?” he asks, Elena nodding. 

“Yep, it’s just barely old enough to be away from its mother too, so it’s a little underweight not knowing how to get food itself, but we already gave it a good bath, and everything else with the little guys seems fine!  He’s such a little trooper!” she says in a cooing voice, comforting the dog, rubbing its tummy happily.

Caiti looks up at Jack, her face bright with an idea. “Aww...  Jack, are you gonna let the kids keep him?  He’s so cute! I wouldn't’ mind helping pay for him either!  I always wanted a little dog, and he’d be SO good for the kids!” she says, the dog still wagging its furry little tail happily as she scratched it behind the ear.

Elena chuckles.  “Really, it’s such a polite dog too..  It hasn’t tried to bite me or anyone, and I’ve been touching its wound all night.  It would be good around the kids, and I’d be happy to chip in with puppy chow and medical care, and Kerry can stop begging me for a dog in our apartment and come over here instead!  I know how expensive dogs can be, and I’d get some good deductions out of it, so it’s a win-win!” she says calmly, putting away her surgical tools, and beginning to wrap the dog’s leg in a tight white bandage.

 Jack watches as Caiti’s face beamed. “Jack! You should get it then! The boys would LOVE it! Kids are great with animals, and it teaches all sorts of responsibilities and how to care for things smaller than themselves! We used dogs back in Sinclair all the time!” she says, far more excited than she should be, but Jack unable to really contain her enthusiasm.

 “Well....” Jack stutters...

\----

Late that evening, Geoff and Ryan take two steps into the dark house having come all the way from the State Courthouse.  Flipping on the light switch, a small group in front of the door lets loose party poppers, the two of them covered in confetti immediately, and both of them jumping ten feet at the loud pops.

 “HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN RAMSEY!” Ryan’s brothers, Barbara, Caiti, Miles, Kerry, Jack scream loudly, clapping soon after, with Elena and Rebecca in the background, fiddling with a gigantic cake, and a few wrapped presents on the kitchen table.

Ryan blushed, rubbing his head, not sure how to handle all the attention.  “Thanks guys...” he says, as Michael rushes through the crowd, holding something under his shirt.

“DADDY!  JACKIE GOT A PUPPY FOR RYAN’S BIRTHDAY!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!” Michael says excitedly, pulling a little puppy out of his shirt, holding it up for everyone to see, Lion-King style, the dog barking once or twice excitedly, panting happily with its little tongue out at the new people.

 Geoff’s mouth goes wide in shock, and Ryan’s face beams excitedly.  “DAD!  JACK!  OH MY GOD, THAT’S WHAT I’VE ALWAYS WANTED!  I LOVE ANIMALS, THANK YOU!!!!” he says wildly, grabbing the dog excitedly, hugging it tightly, the dog lapping his face happily.

Geoff turns to his brother, giving him a sly grin.  “So...  Nice birthday present.  I’m so glad we talked it over, really!  I mean, I thought we got him that game he wanted, but a dog is even-

 Jack holds his hand in front of Geoff's face, silencing him, speaking in a hushed tone.

  "Listen here, I already promised the kids, and Elena gave him a good bill of health and promised to pay for food, care and stuff if we send her donation receipts for tax deductions.  There is absolutely no reason we can't keep him, so don’t even try to dissuade me.  I am pulling the power of a Patillo Veto here." he says, Caiti patting him on the shoulder proudly.

 “You tell him Jackie!” she says raising her fist into the air.

 "Jack, that's not what I'm concern-"Geoff stutters, getting silenced again quickly.

 Jack gives him a desperate look now. "Geoff Ramsey, we are KEEPING the dog, and that is that!” he says firmly, folding his arms, giving him a firm stare.

 Geoff sighs, shaking his head.  "I don't care if we get a dog you asshole, you know that... But did you have to get THAT breed?" He asks, Jack unsure of what he means, his expression turning curious, Caiti as equally confused.

 "Jack, that is undoubtedly a German Shepard, and if that thing is a puppy, it’s pretty damn big already.  You do know those things grow into some of the biggest dogs there are?  I've seen some that got as big as I am...  That little puppy is going to outgrow the boys so fast that they could probably ride it like a horse, and they probably will try...  Not to mention the kind of giant dumps he’s gonna take on our floor, which YOU will be cleaning up." He says, now chuckling at Jack's quickly paling face, but not even remotely upset at the man, taking a gander at the children ridiculously happy over the latest addition to the family, Ryan already in tears.  

"Oo...hhhh...  Really?" Jack replied nervously, looking back at the kids excitedly petting a very happy looking dog.  His face is now stricken with embarrassment, Caiti giggling as well behind him.  

 “Don’t worry Jack, I’ll come walk it for you if you get busy!  Besides, I love dogs!  I’ll have an excuse to come over more and see Courtney!” she says, grabbing him by the hand and shaking it happily, as if it were a promise.

Geoff snickers.   _ **Ooooooh...  So that’s why...  Very smooth Jackie...**_

 Ray finally pipes up, silencing everyone in the room.  "Ryan!  You name it cuz it's your birthday!   We already decided that!" He excitedly claims, the rest of the house quickly murmering in agreement.

 Ryan holds the little puppy up, it panting happily in his hands, trying to lick his face as he brings it closer to his face, kissing it on the head.  

 "How about Edgar? He looks like an Edgar!"

The dog barks once playfully, licking Ryan’s face, as if to confirm it as truth.  

___

 Sitting out on the porch of the HomeHunters, waiting on Mr. Ramsey to finish up with the birthday festivities in peace, he couldn’t help but feel better about himself.  Not like helping that little dog or making Ray and Michael happy meant much for anything, but...  Well...  It was little things like that...  Things he’d wished he’d done as a big brother, instead of being the little brat he was.

 “Well...  Sammy...  Maybe I did something good today...  Maybe...  Maybe you won’t be so mad at me forever...” he says, looking up into the sky, seeing the partial moonlight light up the darkness of the evening, shutting his eyes as a relaxing breeze.  

 “ _ **They love you Caleb..  They were never mad at you…  They want you to move on, they’re never going to be able to rest until you do…they want you to live, and be happy.”**_  mutters a deep male’s voice, almost melodic in its tone.

His eyes flicker open and his head swings down, seeing little Ray standing outside in his pajamas, pulling on his shirt, trying to get his attention, lost in his own little world, not even registering the contact.

“Caleb!  I said I love you Caleb!  Thank you for letting Dr. Shawcross come over and make our puppy Edgar better!  You’re the best sitter EVER!” he says happily, Caleb looking down and noticing it…  Why he’d been unable to refuse Ray’s earlier request.  His eyes were the exact same color as Sammy’s.  Those same eyes that begged him all those years ago.

 Smiling, Caleb’s face feels light.  “Well thank you Ray… I love you too buddy!” he says, picking the kid up, and hugging him tightly, patting him on the back, and releasing him as Mr. Ramsey walks outside, still wiping confetti out of his hair.

“Ok kiddo, sorry about that I’m good to go now, you sure you don’t wanna stay a little longer? We got cake, and the kids love you apparently!” he says, smiling big, Caleb shaking his head.

 “No... I have something I have to do at home, but thank you.” he says, Geoff making his way across their yard, Caleb close behind.

“BYE CALEB, COME BACK SOON!” Ray screams fromt he front porch, waving wildly in a voice that wasn’t Ray’s, but…  Was a voice from many years past.

Looking back as he hopped into the van, Caleb smiled.  “Bye… Ray…” he mutters, waving back, forever grateful for the events that occurred that night.

__

 Kara and Joel made their way over to Geoff’s place, their kids muttering excitedly about their days, Lindsay and Courtney discussing their new clothes, and Dan having been enamoured about things like Thanksgiving, both kids looking at him as though he were completely incompetent.. 

 A little late to the party, having waited on Joel and Dan to pick them up at the mall, they finally did make it, and walked into the house, everyone greeting them politely, the tiny house packed with a house full of colorful individuals.

 Kara and Joel can’t help but notice one BIG thing immediately, barking excitedly in Ryan’s lap, all the kids surrounding it and giving it their undivided attention.

  _ **THEY DIDN’T....**_

“PUPPY!” all three of their kids scream immediately, rushing into the house, Kara and Joel’s faces both losing all of their color immediately.

 “AWWW!!!  IT’S SO CUTE!” Courtney says excitedly, Dan and Lindsay nodding their heads. “JAY! IT’S SO FLUFFY I’M DYING!” Lindsay says, nuzzling its neck, the dog lapping at her face.

Joel and Kara both exchange quick looks, then stare directly at Geoff, who points at Jack without any hesitation, shrugging and shaking his head.  “All him!  I just walked in and saw the dog, I’m the real victim here!” he says, hiding behind the couch, away from their venomous stare.

Joel puts Ryan’s present down on the table and begins walking slowly towards him.

“Jack Patillio.  You will regret this in the most painful way possible, I assure you… I have a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.” Joel mutters venomously, rolling up his long sleeves, his

Kara steps forward as well. “I’ll help hide the body.” She whispers loudly into Joel’s ear enough for everyone to hear, the adults in the room having a big laugh at his expense.

 Elena grins, and raises her hand up. “You know..  You two could probably use a dog too for your kids! There is a shelter I work with that are always looking for new homes if you’re-”

 The seething look emanating from Joel and Kara’s faces silence her quickly, Rebecca chuckling at her misfortune.

 Dan, however, walks over to Joel slowly, pulling at his shirt. 

 “Da-......... Dad... Could... Could we get a puppy? If... If I take good care of it? I know the girls don’t like dirty stuff, and you’re busy, but I’m a boy too... So... I wouldn’t mind...” he says, looking jealously at the puppy with longing eyes.

 Joel turns his face down, unable to contain a newly forming grin, all of his usual exaggerated mannerisms slowly melting away.

  _ **Someone...  Called me dad....**_

Grinning, he pats Dan on the head. “We’ll.. we’ll think about it Danny-boy, ok?” he says, Dan nodding his head, happy

 As the room calms down from their little entrance riot, everyone begins enjoying the party again, everyone talking excitedly, all the children and adults looking completely at peace, enjoying the shared laughter, the world inside that home a very bright place.

 -----

 Caleb walked back into his home late that night. Like always, it was pitch black, the TV still on with his father still awake.  Despite working from the early morning until late every evening, he never went to bed until Caleb got home, always making sure he was safely home before resting himself.

_**Why didn’t I ever notice that before? Dad... Dad’s always caring about me...** _

 He turns around in his chair, smiling.  "Hey bud, you done for the week?  Jordan called, said something about a sleepover tomorrow at his place if you're interested.  I can give you a ride if you want!  No problem!" His father says politely, almost eagerly.

Caleb smiles happily.  "That's... That’s great dad... I’d love to, can you give me a ride? Oh, and can we go do something tonight if you’re not too tired? Nothing big, just... Dinner? The two of us?” he says, nodding happily.

 Mark’s face falls, shocked by the response. “R... Really? You’re not too busy? I’d love that son.. But.. If you want to spend your free time with your friends, or go to bed since it’s late, that’s-”

He shakes his head. “That's ok dad...  I think...  I think I'd just rather hang out with you tonight more than anything else if that's ok, I think... I think you and I have a lot of catching up to do. Can we go get burgers or something? I’m starving." He replied shakily, feeling nervous about having dinner with his own father and what crazy stuff Jordan was going to do with him tomorrow.

 Mark's face lights up.  "Oh?!?  That’s wonderful! Yes! Let me just go get some nicer pants on! I know a great all night diner that has the BEST burgers, I used to go all the time when I was your age, it’s GREAT!” he says excitedly, already off the couch, full of life, clearly happy about the outcome.

 As his father disappears to change, Caleb looks over at a small picture frame, unable to make much out of it. Flipping a nearby light switch, their home is engulfed in a bright,warming light, and he smiles as the picture focuses in his eyes.

 It’s a picture of all of him and his foster siblings, hugging happily at a nearby lake, him and Sammy attached at the hip, both smiling big.

  _ **I really did love all of you... I’m just... I’m sorry I never showed it...**_

 Wiping some newly forming tears, Caleb shakes his head. “You know... I think... I have a lot of living to do for all of you...If... If that’s what you guys really want...”

As if on cue, his father reappears walking quickly to his side, admiring the picture with him, putting his arm around Caleb’s shoulder.

 “I’m... I’m glad we’re doing this tonight Caleb. I’ve... I’ve been worried about you son. I was scared I was gonna lose my other child too...” he mutters, sniffing, wiping away his own tears.

 Caleb nods, smiling. “I’m not going anywhere Dad... Not anymore.”

\------------------------

 The next morning, Geoff had to try very hard not to yell as the phone in the kitchen began annoying ringing that Saturday morning.  Having stayed up all night cleaning up after Ryan’s party, Jack tending to the dog with Elena, they were all exhausted.

“HELLO?” he asks groggily, in an angry tone.

“HEY buddy, how’s the kids?  Doing good?  Is Jack all right?  Had any flings yet?  Did Gavin get the sword we sent him?  Michael need a muzzle?” Burnie lets fly quickly, talking in his usual rushed tone, Geoff groaning.  

“Burnie, it’s like eight in the goddamn morning on a Saturday...  Can’t you-”

He chuckles.  “GREAT!  I’m just fine, thanks for asking!  Hey listen, ya’ll doing anything for Halloween?  Monty is dying to meet that fanboy son of yours, and there’s this awesome voice actress named Tex on the new RVB Remaster project who’s always wanted to see Texas.  So we’re heading that way around the thirty first! We’ll get a hotel, so no biggie, just...  You know…  Be prepared to entertain us!  I’ll make sure and bring the kids loads of sugary candy to utterly ruin them, so don’t worry!!  See ya’ll then!” he says, hanging up before Geoff could even process the information.

Looking at the receiver in his hands, hearing a newly forming dial tone, he can’t help but feel that no amount of coffee on the planet is going to make him unhear that...

 “EDGAR! What are you doing in my bed?!?!” he hears yell from Michael's room, him walking slowly back into the hallway, and opening Michael’s cracked door.

 Walking into Michael’s room, he notices immediately that Edgar is firmly sat upon Michael’s curly hair, yawning big, then re-positioning himself, returning to his nap time, his head laying on his good leg, and a very frustrated looking Michael not moving much.

“Daddy... I woke up, and Edgar was on my head. Isn’t he Ryan’s dog?” he mutters quietly, the dog not paying him any mind whatsoever.

He grins. “Well..  He’s everyone’s dog, but maybe Edgar likes your hair as a pillow! You ok with that? I can take him back into Ryan’s room if you want...” he says chuckling.

Michael shrugs. “Whatever. He’s not bugging no-one...” he mutters angrily, pulling the covers back over his body, and shutting his eyes, the dog licking him once on the forehead for good measure.

 

A/N2:  Hi [Edgar](http://www.german-shepherd-us.com/images/puppy2.jpg)!

 


	15. Burnie's Push

_The room of Burnie Burns was what you’d expect of an eighteen year old video game enthusiast.  Posters hanging on the wall of his favorite games, big clunky consoles all over the place, and a few spare televisions lying around for LAN parties.  Some recording equipment was on the floor, but otherwise just looked like a regular boy’s bedroom._

_Though…  What Burnie (nor anyone he knew) had ever expected to see in his room was an extremely attractive female that he’d been crushing on for YEARS._

_Griffon “Griffy” Anderson….  She had just a little more height than him, with golden blonde hair pulled back in a braid, sporting some of the most kick-ass tattoos on the length of her arms.  Not to mention a stellar nose ring._

_Griffon was beautiful to him, and was one of the kindest people he’d ever met in his life.  But…  They were best friends, and she was already in a relationship, so…  Nothing sketchy was going to happen, but it still made him nervous.  In Texas, gossip spread FAST, and Geoff was already overly tense that week._

_Stuffing clothes out of a trash bag and into a borrowed suitcase, Griffon had been relatively quiet the entire day.  After what happened…  He didn’t want to disturb her, so he just sat and read a book quietly in the corner._

_After a few grunts, he can’t help but look up at her.  “Burnie, can I borrow another duffle bag?  I’m sorry, I just…  I have a lot of shit…” she says quietly, trying with all her might to seal a bulging piece of over packed luggage._

_He nodded.  “Sure.  I’ll snag one out of my closet.” Burnie mutters, putting his book down and hefting himself up.  Making the way to his closet, he swings it open, beginning to rummage through the unorganized mess._

_Griffon smiles.  “Thanks Burnie.  For everything.” she says, sighing painfully as she plops on his bed._

_Burnie nods in appreciation.  But, he knew she was overreacting, and what she was going to do was…  Insane.  Not that he didn’t mind helping her or giving her a place to crash, but…  He couldn’t help but feel guilty to Geoff and what the man would soon experience._

_Gathering his courage, Burnie finds his voice.  "Griffon..  I know…  I know you don’t wanna talk about it, and just say so if you don’t.  But, I gotta be honest here…  You’re being too dramatic. Just give it a few days, and everything will calm down.  Talk to Geoff, tell him to cool it with the overprotective bullshit, and just……." Burnie says, his voice faltering towards the end.  He was unsure how to continue that line of thought, memories of the event painfully rushing back to him._

_Griffon is unphased, her face in the same stoic form it had been the entire day.  "Burnie… Did what happened last week look like something a normal person would do?  What he did…  It showed me something, something I have to do.  For his sake!  For his life!  I will be eternally grateful that he loves me that much, but…  You heard what he said…  He MEANT those words Burnie.  You know that as well as I do, and it breaks my heart to hear them playing in my head over and over again.” Griffon states aggressively, but her soft expression betraying her words._

_As Burnie’s face cringes, he can’t help but agree._

_Finally locating the bag she’d requested, he turns around, facing her._

_“But…”_

_Unfortunately, he can’t just leave it that._

_"Griffon…  Are you sure THIS is the best way to go about it?  It’s not just…  It’s not just him that this affects.  You’re leaving Jack, Elena, and everyone at the orphanage behind too!  Not only that, but to move halfway across the country…  I mean…  I have NO problem letting you crash in my dorm when we get there, don’t get me wrong!  I’m just worried about YOUR happiness.  It’s not fair that you have to give up so much for…  For him.  When there are tons of other people that love you just as much!” he says, feeling his own heart ache at the very thought of it._

_Laughing, she hops off the bed and makes her way to him, taking the bag from his hands.  For the first time that whole day, a small smile began forming in the corner of her mouth.  “You’re such a good friend Burnie…. But trust me… Everything is going to be fine!  I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself!  I know what I’m doing, and this is for the best!  For everyone.  I just know it!” she says confidently, pulling him into a hug, without a hinge of remorse in her tone._

_Burnie cringes at the contact, not really a touchy-feely kind of person.  “Do you..  Do you REALLY know that for sure?” he mutters in an unsatisfied tone._

_Griffon inhales deeply, exhaling in a deafened tone.  “Not 100%, but…  I don’t care Burnie.  I just want him to be as happy as he made me all these years.  Geoff deserves that, more than anyone.  I love him with all my heart, and I’ll probably never feel the same away about another man as long as I live.  But…  I don’t want him to look back when he’s older and regret the life he lived.  So long as I’m here…He…  He won’t ever be able to move forward…And I know what a strong, powerful man he could be.  He has dreams too Burnie, I just know it..” she says, tearing up slightly._

_Burnie returns her hug, squeezing tightly, despite his uncomfortableness._

_“I know Griffon…  I know….” he says, patting her on the back._

_They stand there a while, finally releasing each other from the hug._

_Griffon looks Burnie square in the eyes._

_“But…  Promise me something Burnie…  When you come home from college and visit everyone… that…  You’ll watch him?  And…  Tell me when you think he’s moved on?  Or…  When he’s found something real to live for?  I won’t be back, so…  I need someone I can trust with this secret.  Burnie…  You’re the only person in the world I would ask this favor of.  I trust you more than anyone else, I know you’d never betray me.” she mutters quietly._

_He nods, smiling.  “Without a doubt.  I swear.”_

—————————————————————-

Burnie shot up from his bed in a cold sweat.  Breathing at an incredible pace, he slaps his forehead as hard as he could.  “Dammnit….” he mutters, rubbing his eyes.

_Dammit…  Every fucking time I go see Geoff, that scene just…  PLAYS ON FUCKING REPEAT!_

It was true.  Burnie had the same recurring nightmare each evening since making the Halloween plans with Geoff.  Really, it had originally been an excuse to bring a few late birthday presents for Ryan and Michael, but he couldn’t help but wonder…  

_How is she going to take it?_

Fifteen years after betraying one of his closest friends, he still harbored a mountain of regret over the entire situation.  Not only had he almost destroyed the man in the process, but then there was Griffon…  She’d had a great life herself, but…  Never was quite the same either.  But now that Geoff was moving on in his life, he knew that it was long past time.  

He KNEW what the two idiots needed to complete their lives.

Each other.

But damn if Griffon wasn’t the most stubborn-ass woman in the world.  

A loud buzz comes from the vicinity of his nightstand.  Throwing off the silken sheets in his posh bedroom, he reaches for his smartphone, answering it immediately.

“Burns.” he replies curtly, likely knowing who it was.

“Burnie!  Listen, I know we’re supposed to leave next week, but I-”

_Oh like fucking hell you are._

“Monty…  YOU. ARE. GOING.  This trip is happening, even if I have to drag your sorry ass down there myself with a leash!” Burnie replies angrily at his creative director.  

Monty Oum worked too damn hard, and his stress levels were at an all time high, with blood pressure to match.  His doctors were demanding that he take it easy for a while, and Burnie’s trip was the only was to insure that he followed through with it.

“Buuuuurrrrniiiiiieeeeee……  The RVB Remake Project is going so damn slow!  I NEED to be there!  The animation studio we hired to do the stuff just ISN’T cutting it.  We need an in-house thing, this outsourcing crap just is NOT going to cut it.” he says in a whining tone, the argument one he’d heard many times before.  

Shaking his head in frustration, Burnie sighs.

“Monty, we’ve been over this.  Building our own animation studio from the ground up is HARD WORK and a LOT of money.  We’re just now really making it big, and I don’t want to invest in stuff we can’t afford.  I LIKE being an independent producer of kick-ass content, and I don’t want to have to work for other people.  So we take it slow!  Besides, I thought you LIKED those freelance animators.  They did so well in RWBY!” he remarks sheepishly.

“Pfffft.  Only because I did half the damn work for them.” he replies angrily.

_Well…  He’s got me there…_

Burnie makes his way off the bed, heading into his exotic bathroom to prepare for the day.  

“We’ll talk about it later Monty.  The trip is happening.  Our contract labor stays.  You’re going on vacation.  NO WORK.  SUCK IT UP CUPCAKE.” he yells in his best bossy voice.  

“But I…” Monty retorts painfully, Burnie not giving him more than an instant to respond.

“AND I know you’re not going to complain, because those kids are probably excited beyond belief to meet you.  They’ve had a shitty life Monty, and this probably means the world to them.  Besides, Tex is really going to need you there too.  I’m sure things might be a little awkward there for her, with the surprise and all.” Burnie finishes.

There’s a silence over the phone, followed by a deep moan.

“Fiiiiine….  For the kids.  For Tex.” he says in a defeated voice, hanging up on Burnie without so much as a goodbye.  

Chuckling, he places the phone on the marble counter, looking at himself in the mirror.  

His usual confident bravado he’d developed since moving out west was slowly melting away.  Anticipating the upcoming trip to visit Geoff, he wondered if his plan was going to work.  If it did… He hoped with all his heart that it would be the last time he ever went back to Texas.  

The last time without Griffon.

——————

Geoff wasn’t sure when exactly it had started.  He placed it sometime between getting the second Homehunters and just after adopting Ryan.  

Somewhere in between those days…  

Nothing was awkward anymore, and the people in his home were just happy, plain and simple.  Whatever tension might have existed from not being blood related had vanished.  Everyone was just family now.

And as he watched his children wake up that morning, he realized that normalcy was returning to their lives.  Or for some, it was the first time that “normal” was an option.

Gavin was always one of the first to rise, right at the crack of dawn.  He’d wave to Geoff, wish him a happy morning and go on his merry way.  Finally comfortable in the ability to make decisions for himself, Gavin would scurry in the backyard on his own.  The boy would do various activities, from singing to play fighting with Dan (who was just as much of an early riser).  It made for quite an interesting performance through the back window.

Ray was never too far behind Gavin, clamoring excitedly to gain control of the television set.  THAT was an amusing situation to Geoff, and it surprised him.  Miles had stepped up and was quickly becoming a “big brother” to Ray, taking him under his wing and sharing an apparent love of video games.  The boy was so eager to impress Ryan’s friend that he’d wake up hours before school each morning to advance further on the games they would play together.  That morning was no different, Ray’s face scrunched up in annoyance, trying to figure out a difficult puzzle.  Geoff personally thought that Zelda games were too difficult for him, but Miles insisted that Ray was more than capable of figuring stuff out on his own.    

Then, at some point later in the morning there would be an angry howl as Michael screamed at Edgar.  The dog had apparently found the boy’s head to be the most comfortable spot in the entire house, making it his bed every evening after Michael would be zonked out.  Despite his “irritation”, Michael would always carry the puppy into the kitchen and feed Edgar himself.  The dog would get an adorable “scolding” about his choice of bedding, followed by pets and hugs, just reinforcing the behavior.  After the dog ate, the two would go out and join Gavin, walking the dog around the large backyard.

Finally, Ryan and Miles were ALWAYS the last to wake up, just about half an hour before they all had to leave.  Everyone laughed as Ryan shrieked in anger every morning to a less than warm shower  He would grumble angrily until he shoved breakfast into his mouth.  Miles showered in the evenings, so after getting ready, he’d join Ray on the couch.  The two would talk about games until they had to all leave.

They were normal kids leading normal lives.  Exactly what Geoff had always wanted, and there being no greater joy in his life than being able to give it to them.  He could almost see tiny versions of himself, Jack and Griffy in their places.

Seeing them happy brought him peace, and the home they shared gave him hope.  

“GEOFF!” Jack screams, bringing him out of his deep thoughts.  He quickly realized that he was just staring into empty space, completely oblivious to the world.  All the kids, Edgar and Jack were staring at him with amusing looks.

Focus returning to his eyes, he faces his brother, still shaking the daze off.  “Yeah?” he mutters, taking a swig of now chilled coffee.

“I SAID, can you take the kids today?  Caiti called, and wants to talk about HomeHunters.  I’m hoping she found someone for the single-parent home model, but I’m not holding my breath…” he says defeatedly, rubbing his forehead.  

The corporate advancement plans was something of a sore spot at the moment, which was stressing out Jack out to no end.  Honestly, Geoff though expansion was a bad idea, and to let things take their course.  But Jack was insistent, so Geoff had been taking over some of the house and kid related duties, letting his brother do what he thought was right.  

Though…  He still couldn’t help but feel like there were a few more meetings than necessary every week.  

Geoff nodded.  “Sure!  Have fun on your date lover-boy!” he says in a teasing tone, winking suggestively, elbowing Jack as he walked by.

Jack turns a shade of red that he wasn’t aware existed.  “WE ARE NOT DATING GEOFF!  WE’VE BEEN OVER THIS.”

He rolls his eyes.  “GAVIN!  Who’s your daddy’s girlfriend?” he yells.

The boy looked up from Edgar, who was panting happily in his lap.  “That nice lady Caiti, right?” Gavin replies sincerely, in a tone that was incredibly natural.

Geoff grins successfully as Jack fumes out of the house, grabbing his briefcase and rushing through the door.

——————-——————-——————-——————-

Kara’s life had become quite interesting.  Never in her life did she ever expect to be living with another man that she wasn’t married to.  Never in her life had she expected to be a mother of three kids that weren’t her own.  Never in her life did she ever expect to prove her parents wrong in the most satisfying way possible.

But most importantly….

_Never in my life did I expect to see a grown man have an actual debate with a dog._

“BARK” Edgar lets out, looking up at Joel.  His eyes were wistfully looking at a small stack of bacon cooling on a paper towel.  The dog’s eyes were watery, attempting with all his might to guilt Joel into sharing.

Edgar had done so well with all the kids, that both houses decided to share him.  Each backdoor leading to their fenced-in area had small doggy-doors, allowing him to come and go as he pleased.  Which he did frequently, usually joining them at food related hours, wagging his furry little tail expectedly in the kitchen.

Joel’s gaze was unaffected by such a cute display. Kara took another long sip of her coffee, wondering what counterpoint he would come up with next.

Shaking his head, he turns his gaze back down to the dog.  “An excellent argument, but what you fail to realize is that if I give you this bacon NOW, its value will be significantly less!  For you see, I know you won’t INVEST this bacon properly. You will greedily shovel it down your throat with narry a care for your pork-related future.  From there, your portfolio will be significantly lacking.  I’m sorry, I just don’t see you getting approved for this loan.” he says in all seriousness.

“BARK!” Edgar yelps, wagging his tail eagerly, licking his lips excitedly.  

Joel shook his head.  “Hmmm…  Excellent counterpoint.  But I MUST ask…  Do we look like a Doggie Diner to you?  Why not go eat Geoff’s food some mornings!  I’m sure he’d be happy to share his own bacon with you!  Surely it’s not THAT bad!” Joel exclaims, giving him an incredulous look.

The dog puts his head to the floor, covering its snout with his paws, whining painfully.  

Dan runs into the kitchen from the living room comforting the dog by patting it on the head.  “There there boy…  It’s ok…Don’t cry!” the boy says, giving a sympathetic expression.

Kara almost snorts her coffee all over the kitchen counter.  

_I swear to god that dog is a human in disguise._

Joel puts his hand to his heart.  “You pour soul…   That bad?  It’s just inhumane there, isn’t it! Subjected to such…  Unreasonably bad cooking.  Here…  You  I grant you this.  Take it and enjoy its succulent aroma!” he says dramatically, bending down and giving Edgar a huge slice from the plate, winking at him.

The dog grabs the bacon from Joel’s hand immediately, rushing to the living room couch, and planting himself between the girls.  They giggle, and pet the dog happily as Dan rejoins them.  

Kara chuckles.  “Well, it seems Grandpa Joel really does like dogs after all!” she mutters quietly, giving him a smug smirk.

His face remains unchanged, refocused on the stove in front of him.  “Oh no..  Dogs are despicable little creatures that piss over everything.  Luckily, Edgar is not a dog.  You see… Edgar, is a higher form of intelligence, one that can be reasoned with and understood.  Therefore, he is a being worthy of my respect, admiration and bacon.  Isn’t that right Edgy-poo?” he says seriously, yelling loudly in the direction of the living room.

“BARK!” Edgar replied excitedly from the couch.  The dog had finished his snack and was now exposing his belly to the kids, requiring rubs immediately.  They were more than eager to oblige him.

Pointing his spatula toward the living room, his face is plastered with satisfaction.  “You see?”

Kara rolls her eyes.  “Whaaaaatever…..  Oh, don’t forget Dan and I are going out this evening.  The girls are going to get a ride with Geoff and his kids, so look next door after school!” she says, remembering her promise to take Dan out shopping.  The girls had gotten their winter clothes, and now it was his turn.  

Popping his head up from the couch, Dan turns his gaze to their direction.  “Oh!  Kara?  Can I go with Dad instead?”

She turns around, her face just a tiny big deflated.  “Oh?  Are you sure?  I don’t mind, and Joel’s really busy with-”

Joel smiled.  “I can take Dan, it’s no trouble Kara.  You’re just as busy as I am anyway, and my stuff can wait.” he says happily.  

Dan grins.  “Thanks Dad!” he replies, sitting back down with his sisters, thinking nothing else of the conversation.

She puts on a smile, trying not to over-think the situation too much.

_He’s probably just more comfortable with a another guy shopping.  Probably embarrassed around me, I’m getting all worked up over nothing!  I mean…  They all love you!  Don’t be silly Kara…  There..  There’s…._

_“That’s ok Kara…  Don’t worry about it, it’s…  It’s nothing you can help me with.  I’m fine.”_

Her face pales, the voice of a long gone friend echoing in her head.

_“Sweetheart, don’t get your hopes so high.  It’s just a job.  A low paying job that you’re going to want to leave sooner or later.  Besides, even if you adopt them, it’s not like you’d ever be a real mother to them.  Listen to your mother and STAY where you are!  The world is a lot tougher than you think.  Get that silly little dream out of your head already, it’s just ridiculous.  You’re going to regret this…  You mark my words!”_

The words of Kara’s mother reverberated in her ears, and she clenched her mug tightly.

_“Children are nothing but disappointments Kara.  Child, all they do is hurt you.  You spend twenty years hoping they’ll realize you know better than them.  Only to watch them…  Throw their lives away into some disaster of a life.  Don’t come crying to us when you’re left with nothing but hungry mouths to feed.”_

Her father’s chastising remarks still cut deep into her skin.  Out of everyone she wanted to understand, it was him.  She’d been painfully wrong.

_No…  You’re wrong.  You’re ALL wrong..  I’m not…._

Feeling something put on her her lap, she wakes up from her own little world, looking downwards.  

“Can you help me with my hair again?  Please?” Courtney asks, with a look of excitement on her face.

Kara smiled, the voices dissapearing.  “Absolutely.”

~~~~~~

_I WILL figure this out.  I WILL._

Looking at the television set painfully, Ray’s confident face melts.

“Miles!  I’m stuck!” Ray says angrily, turning to his buddy.  Link’s virtual avatar had been hanging on a vine for five minutes, a huge drop below.

He chuckles.  "Just a sec Ray-Ray…" Miles says, grabbing a large spiral notebook on the table beside them, and flipping quickly through it.

Ray looks at him curiously.  "What’s that?" He asks, Miles completely engrossed in the countless pages of handwritten notes.

"Oh it’s this stupid thing I do.  When I play games, I write down how I beat the game, or how to get out of hard spots.  Kind of like a cheat book, but better because it’s not full of stupid stuff."  He says, having found the page he was looking for.

Skimming the page a bit, he grins.  "Ok you need to clawshot the vines, and then drop down from where you’re at!  You’ll hit the bottom of the lake, and there’s gonna be somewhere else to grapple to.  So you’re SUPPOSED to drop." Miles says. Ray quickly does as instructed, Link hopping off the vines and falling a great distance.  He lands with an audible THUD, the character groaning.  Once at the bottom, Ray spots the new target immediately.

"Thanks Miles!" He says, now wildly flailing the wii remote, making his way towards the final boss’s room.  FINALLY!  HE WAS THERE!

"Boys, it’s time to head to school!  Go grab your backpacks!" Geoff says sternly, Ray groaning a bit, but Miles patting him on the shoulder.  

"It’ll be here when you get home.  I got practice after school, but see if you can beat the boss without me, kay?” Miles says, winking.

Ray nodded his head.  “OF COURSE I WILL!  I’m gonna beat it, and then I’m gonna beat the next dungeon all without you.”

His buddy snorts, handing Ray his backpack.  “If you do, I might just be tempted to promote you to official best friend status.  Cuz the next dungeon took Ryan 12 hours to do, and that would mean

“HEY” Ryan shouts, the three of  them laughing.

Though Ray was invigorated with new determination, feeling a burst of competitiveness swell within him.  

_Twelve hours huh?  I  can beat that!_

~~~

Arriving at Caiti’s house a few hours earlier, he’d expected to have a fun time.  Even if the planning things didn’t work out, he could at least enjoy her company.  Despite his insistence to his brother, he did…  Well…  

Caiti was an amazing individual, and he couldn’t help but be attracted to her.  

Though that was farthest from his mind.  Her news was far worse than he’d expected.

Furrowing his eyebrows and removing his glasses, he rubbed his face painfully.  “So…  What you’re saying is…  We got…  Nobody?  The ad has been running for weeks now Caiti, how could NOBODY have applied?” he retorts angrily.

Caiti frowned, looking down at her feet in equal disappointment.  “Jack, you’re going to have to come to a sad reality.  Not everyone is like us.  If we don’t budge on this, then…  The whole program isn’t going to grow.” Caiti says firmly, but in a comforting tone, taking him by the hand and clutching it.

He shakes his head.  “Caiti…  I can’t…  Then we’d be no better than the regular system, and I am NOT selling out.  I absolutely refuse to lessen the qualifications necessary.  Nothing short of extensive experience with problems kids or a degree in psychology will do.” he mutters.

The two of them had this argument before.  Caiti insisted that they were too picky in who they allowed to be parents for HomeHunters, and to try and…  Lessen the qualifications.  

_Like hell I will.   We are not having a repeat performance of my mommy dearest…_

Caiti sighs, removing her glasses and massasing the bridge of her nose.  Jack notices that she’s oddly determined about this today.

“I’ll come right out and say it then.  We can’t find anyone, and…  I’ve been looking for a lot longer than just the ad.  Not a single soul applied, and even after I personally begged to a few people…  There’s just…  Nobody!  Outside of people who experienced bad childhoods themselves or have a the heart of a saint, there is no one that is going to go to college for four years and get paid like an employee at K-Mart.  Jack Patillo, you’re going to have to get real, as much as it hurts me to say that.” she remarks, Jack shaking his head.

“There’s got to be-” he replies desperately.

Her tone raises.  “THERE IS NO ONE JACK.  NO ONE.  I have called every agency from from here to Dallas, trying to get people on board.  They take one look at the job requirements, pay scale and run away.  Before I took over, Barbie was at this for weeks.  Since around you guys were talking about the second home.  It…  It doesn’t look good.  And..  Even if we waited a few years?  It won’t get better, it’s the same situation.  The ability to grow your company will just…  Cease and-”

Jack slams his hand on the table, causing her to jump back in fear.  “DAMNIT CAITI, regular people won’t cut it!  I had my share of regular people, THEY SUCK.” he screams, his face reddening, but taking control of himself quickly.  He covers his face and begins breathing deeply.  

“I’m sorry…  That was uncalled for…  I’m not mad at you,  I’m just…  I’m mad at myself because I know you’re right.  Hell, Geoff agrees with you.  I’m just being the stubborn asshole now.” he says, frowning angrily at himself for his outburst.  

She smiles, taking him by the hand again.  “It’s ok Jack.  I know it’s…  I know it’s not what you wanted, but…  Well…  If you’ll listen to me, I do…  Um…  Have an idea…” she mutters.

Turning his face towards her, he nods.

Pulling out a gigantic binder from beside her table, she drops it between them with a gigatnic “THUD”.  

“Well, back at Sinclair, we had these month long training sessions where we’d learn how to handle kids in the most efficient way possible, and how to get them in and out.  Um…  It wasn’t good and WILL NOT work for us, but that sort of got me an idea…  We could do something similar, maybe just requiring longer sessions, develop our own curriculum and doing our own full program.  Kind of like the Red Cross, but…  More useful?  Focusing on parenting and working with special children?  Right now, it wouldn’t cost anything but my time, your house and printing materials, which I’m more than willing to give you.  This binder is a rough draft of things I’ve collected over the years from college until up to now.  I can probably turn it into a book or at least organize it better, but…  Uh..   I would need…  Someone to teach it to though.  A guinea pig of sorts, to see how well it would work or be understood.  But that’s just as hard since…  Well, we can’t pay them, and…  It’s not even started yet and….  They’d have to work around my schedule…” she says, rambling cutely towards the end.  

Jack smiled.  She was such a passionate person, it made him feel humbled to be in her amazing presence.  Flipping through her book, it looked like nothing short of a doctoral thesis.  Notes, highlights, entire chapters of books cut out, and her own handwritten observations.  Certainly more work than he’d ever put into school or his job, that was certain.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.  I’m sure anything you’d work up would be fantastic.  You’re you after all!” he chuckles nervously, her eyes lighting up from the compliment.

“Oh!   Well…  Thank you!  I don’t mean to keep putting my nose into HomeHunters, but…  It’s such a great thing you’re doing, and seeing how well the kids are doing, I guess I just have a lot of faith in it..”

Jack smiled.  “Well I-

“-and you.”

Her words take Jack’s breath away, and he stammers a bit, coughing into his sleeve.  

_Jack, you moron, she didn’t mean it THAT way.  Calm the hell down._

Shaking his embarrassment off, he pulls out a phone from his jeans. He flips it open, rummaging through contacts.

“I think I might just know the perfect person to help you with it too.  Someone who’d probably be eager to get experience, even without pay.  Though he’d probably do it anyway.  He’s a great man.” Jack finally spits out, avoiding looking at her face.

Caiti pushes her hair from her face, wiping away her crushed expression, unseen from Jack.  “Oh?  Who?”

——

Sitting in his assigned spot, buzzer in hand, Ryan had noticed that Mr. Tate was incredibly late for their lunch session.  He was NEVER late, especially since practice for the Quiz Bowl regionals had REALLY started.  Mr. Tate was a firm taskmaster.  The man actually had them come in during their lunch break, and kept them for several hours after school every day.  

Countless lightning round questions were thrown at them, and mock competitions between the team members were held daily.  

Additional study material was thrown their way, each of them responsible for a particular subject.  Kerry was reading cliff-notes on lots of classical literature, Ryan was given equations and math lessons at levels far beyond his peers, and Miles…  Well, Miles was just told to memorize arbitrary information and read trivia books quietly in the back.  Not that his friend ever complained, but…  He still felt bad about it.  

Miles was listed as the school’s alternate, and told not to expect competing.  So essentially, all his hard work was a waste of time.  Still, he was part of the team and would be in the yearbook, so at least there was that.  

Ryan was actually impressed at how dedicated he was, doing whatever Mr. Tate asked of him without a hinge of sass.  Miles would stay up late at night and get up early every morning, reading his assigned materials.  

“Haywood, is your friend actually studying like he should, or is he reading a comic book back there?” a sassy voice screeches next to him.

Turning his head, was the most irritating an unlikable person he’d ever met in his entire life.  Jose “JJ” Jones.  Wearing gigantic headphones, in petit fancy name-brand clothes with well styled black hair, he was a school heartthrob to the girls.  

Besides his looks, he was incredibly smart, and knew more about technology than anyone he’d ever met.  But he was a rude pain in the ass who was in a perpetually bad mood.  Well, at least when it came to Ryan anyway.  

Ryan shot him  a dirty look.  “It’s Ramsey.  And he’s working a hell of a lot harder than you.”

JJ laughed hard, fiddling with his iPod.  “Suuuuure he is Haywood.”

Kerry shot himself between the two of them as Ryan began crushing the small buzzer in his hands.  “Hey Guys, have you seen Arryn today?  She wasn’t at school yesterday either, and…  Well, she’s gonna fall behind!  I’d hate that for her!” he mustered in a cheery tone, trying his best to play peacekeeper, pushing Ryan’s other hand into the table.  

As if on cue, Mr. Tate popped his body into the room.  "Unfortunately, Arynn will not be returning to school for a few weeks.” Mr. Tate says, entering, shutting the door behind him firmly.  “There has been a terrible accident in her family out of state, and they left last night to assist in the matter.  I just spoke with her mother, and we were told to move on without her.  Arryn expresses her deepest sympathies.” he says painfully, shaking his head.  

There is a blank expression covering the room, all of them in various states of shock.  Because if Arryn was out…

“As such…  JJ will take over as captain, and Miles will be joining the regular team.” Mr. Tate says, rubbing his forehead.  His face painted a stressful looking portrait, one they all soon shared.

Everyone slowly turned around, staring painfully at Miles, who was reading one of their study books in the corner.  With his headphones in his ears, trying not to disturb their practice, he hadn’t heard a word.

JJ blinked once or twice with a blank stare, then proceeded to slam his head on the school desk as hard as he could.  He repeats the action several times with increased force, groaning painfully with each strike.  While a little overly dramatic, Ryan couldn’t help feeling as though it were actually the most appropriate reaction.  

"Mr. Jones!  That is hardly funny." Mr. Tate says irritatingly.

He pulled off his big headphones and shot a dark look at him.  “ARRYN WAS OUR ACE.  SHE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT HISTORY, EVERYTHING!  YEARS OF MEMORIZATION!  THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT DUNCE BACK THERE!  WE MIGHT AS WELL NOT COMPETE!” he screams in an enraged voice.

Miles pops his earbuds out, giving them all a quizzical expression.  “Uh…  Everything ok?" 

Ryan looked back, shaking his head.  “Arryn’s out.  Family accident.  You’re uh…  Going to have to join us.”

Ryan watched as his friend blinked once or twice with a blank stare.  He then proceeded to slam his head on the school desk as hard as he could.  

JJ nodded his head.  “EXACTLY.”

~~~~~~~

Mr. Reed’s classroom was as loud as ever, children excitedly working together, drawing colorful and vibrant pictures.  

All except for one table…

The six Homehunter kids sat together as usual, all with blank looks on their faces, crayons in hand.  But not a one of them were drawing in any capacity, their usually bright faces solemn.

Mr. Reed had given them a “fun” homework  They were supposed to draw what they wanted to be when they grew up and talk to their mommy and daddies about it.  

Lindsay huffs.  “Do you guys know what you want to be when you grow up?  Cuz I don’t…” she asks curiously, her face clearing showing signs of embarrassment.  Though everyone else with her nods their heads in agreement.

Dan frowns.  “Mr. Reed said its ok if we don’t know…  To draw what our mommies and daddies did!  But…  I don’t know where my mommy and daddy worked, they just sleeped a lot.”  

Putting his head down, Gavin’s expression turns dark.  “My daddy just went to a place called work.  My mommy stayed home and cried lots.”

Michael folds his arms, throwing his crayon into a box.  “My mommy cooked all day long in a stinky store.  My daddy didn’t work.  He just sleeped in a chair crying till mommy got home.” he says angrily, looking away from everyone.

Courtney smiled.  “My mommy and daddy cooked all day too Michael!  Ray?  What did your mommy and daddy do?  I bet it was really cool!” she asked excitedly

He shrugged.  “Mommy and I were always on vacation!  She had a magic bag of money from my uncle, so she didn’t have to work!  We went to lots of places!  It was really fun!” he says happily.

All of them gave him an incredulous look as Mr. Reed walked up to them, giving them a concerned expression.  “Everything ok over here?  You look a little-”

~

Carter knew something was wrong.  Not only were the homehunter kids quiet today, they seemed to be giving Ray some bewildered look.

“Everything ok over here?  You look a little-” he begins, stopping as he notices that none of them have anything drawn, and all their papers were blank.

“Mr. Reed!  We don’t know what to draw!” Lindsay says, looking incredibly frustrated.  

Carter smiled.  “Well, why not draw your dads?  Remember, I said you could draw what your parents did if you didn’t know!  This is just for fun, to give you something to talk to your parents about.” he says, wondering why they looked so upset.

Michael groaned.  “My daddies don’t do nothing!  They’re just daddies!  And my old mommy and daddy are-”

_Oh…_

Shaking his head, he put his arm on Michael’s shoulder.  “Oh no Michael, your fathers do a lot more than that!  They run something called a charity!  They are business owners!”

Ray cocks his head.  “What’s a charity?” he asks in a curious voice, the other children nodding in shared confusion.

He takes a blank paper from the middle of the table, grabbing a crayon from Michael’s box, and doodling on it.  

“Well..  A charity is a business that does things for people without asking for any money in return!  Kind of like if you went to Wal-Mart and got to take home a toy for free!  Michael’s fathers run that business, making sure it has enough money, is running well, and they’re trying to make it bigger!  There is a LOT of work involved, and it’s a VERY important job.”

The children let out excited oohs and ahhhs, but Michael unsure of how to take the news.  His face looks perplexed.

“But what’s their store do?  Do they give away free toys?  Cuz that’s stupid, they won’t make no money!” he asks, Carter chuckling at the question, patting Michael on the head.  

Holding his paper up, he shows them the quick little doodle he’d done.  A little house with a smiley sun in the corner.  A few stick people out front, all holding hands.

With a proud look on his face, Carter grins.  “Your fathers give little boys and girls, homes, families and love.  All for free!  I’d say it’s one of the most important jobs in the whole wide world, wouldn’t you!” he exclaims, putting his paper on the table.  

Michael’s face lights up.  “Really?  Could I have an important job like that too?” he asks curiously.

Carter nods his head.  “Absolutely!  And Gavin, you have such a good voice, you might want to be a singer someday!  I heard that your brother Isaac loved it a lot!” he mutters, Gavin’s face grinning ear to ear.  

“CAN I?” he replied excitedly.

“Absolutely!  It’s a hard job to get, but if you try hard enough and have a little luck, you can do ANYTHING.  Then there’s little Ray here!  You’re always drawing those video game characters, why not think about making your own game?” he says cheerfully.

Ray’s face ponders it for a few minutes, and he finally nods.  “Yeah…  That’d be ok.”

Turning to Dan, Carter salutes him.  “And Dan the Man here likes playing with army men and saving his friends in playtime, right?  So why not think about being a police officer, firefighter or someone who’s a hero!  You’d be GREAT at it.”

Dan smiled.  “I can protect people?  Like Mr. Ramsey did for me?”

He nodded.  “Only if you want to.  It’s your life, and it’s your decision!”

Courtney pipes up happily, raising her hand.  “Ooooh!  Oooh!  What about me!?”

Putting his hand to his face, he contemplates things for a second, dramatizing the wait.  “Well…  I do believe you’re a very talented colorer and drawer, so maybe you do something artistic in your life?  Who knows?  You might make the most popular cartoon ever!"  

She grins happily, and he turns to see Lindsay looks up at him expectantly.

Turning his way towards, her he grins.  “And then there’s Lindsay.  Why I-”

“SHE CAN DO ANYTHING!  Cuz she’s the smartest!” Michael yells, causing Carter to turn his gaze downward.

Having unfolded his arms, Michael is already scribbling on his paper, not looking up at anyone.  It’s clear that he’s incredibly focused on his work.  

Carter smiled, adjusting his glasses and chuckling.

“You’re absolutely right Michael.  All of you can do whatever you want to do in your life.”  he says, standing up and letting them return to their work.

The six of them begin happily scribbling on their papers, talking at an incredible pace.  He couldn’t help but wonder what had them all so put down at first, but it probably wasn’t anything that significant.    

~~~~~~

Geoff slammed his head painfully against the wall in his bedroom.  Edgar popped his head up from the bed, giving him a befuddled expression.

“Geoff, did you just HIT your head on the wall?  It’s not THAT bad.  I’m not asking for much here!” Burnie exclaims, his voice echoing out from the speaker on his phone.

"Burnie…  I have KIDS now. Responsibilities!  A business!  Now is not the time to be dating!  Please DROP it.  I have been over this a dozen times already.  End of story!” he angrily retorts, sick of this game.

For whatever god damn reason, Burnie had taken it upon himself to try and hook Geoff up with some voice actress that was coming to visit with him.  Someone he’d never met before, and likely would never see again.

“Geoffery Ramsey, I’m hurt.  Do you not think I’m capable of being a class A wingman?  Trust me man, you’re going to love her.  She’s just your type!" he says eagerly, in an all too familar salesmans pitch.  

Geoff cringes.  "Burnie…  You know why I haven’t-"

“Geoff, let me clear this up for you.  I will make you a deal, one I’m sure you can’t pass up.  ONE DATE.  One evening with this woman, showing her a few local places.  You do that?  I’ll take all you, your kids, and those neighbors of yours on a summer vacation to California.  ALL of them, even Ryan’s buddies.  Take them to wherever they want to go, all expenses paid.  Would THAT change your mind any?

God fucking damn you Burnie Burns, you fucking shit ass dick prick….

Slamming his head against the wall again, he groans loudly.  

“BURNIIIIIeeeeee…..” he whines painfully.

“Listen to me.  It’s time you moved on.  AWAY from Griffon.  I’m not a dumbass Geoff, I know you’re still waiting on her.  You’re not getting ANY younger, and neither is she.  It’s time to come to the fact that…  She might not even be with us anymore.  Why else wouldn’t she have…  You know…  Called."

Geoff’s body goes numb.  The fact of the matter was…  He HAD thought of it.  Loads of times.  Griffon never broke a promise, and for her not to show up?  Well…  That could only mean one thing…

“Geoff?  You with me?”

Inhaling deeply, he lets out a painful sigh.  “Yeah…  I’m with you.  Fine.  One date.  You take the kids for a week.  Give them the best trip of their life, or I’ll kick your damn ass, you hear me?

He can almost HEAR the glee on Burnie’s face.  “I promise.  I swear Geoff, and I promise you won’t regret it.” he mutters, hanging up the phone on him again.

Throwing his cell phone on his desk, Geoff slumps onto his bed and closes his eyes.

_Griffy…  where are you?_

Geoff feels as Edgar climbs next to his arm, licking his wrist.  On it was the smallest and first tattoo he owned.  A tiny little compass, something Griffon had designed herself.  

 ~~~~~~~

Sitting at an old fashioned diner, Caleb was looking at Jordan’s latest animated masterpiece, absolutely losing it in the booth.  He’d managed to use some software in the computer lab at school to make a video, which was getting a lot of hits on YouTube.  It was still incredibly crude, but the content more than made up for it.

“Ohhhh…  My….  God…..  JORDAN!  Where the hell did you come up with a story like Darque Chocolate?!” he snorts, unable to breathe.

Jordan grinned.  “Story from my uncle’s bachelor party.  Apparently his friends hated his guts!” he said, wiping tears away from his face, his own material making him cry tears of laughter.  

Caleb had been having a great week, probably one of the best in his life.  He and his dad starting hanging out every evening, talking things through.  They both had a lot on their shoulders, and it was great to have someone who understood how he felt.  He had a small part of his family back, and that meant the world to him.

Then there was Jordan.  He was a lucky bastard to have someone like Jordan.  He got him back into ultimate Frisbee and on a team IMMEDIATELY.  Caleb now had two or three weekdays blocked off exclusively for him to hang out with his friends. He was still busy, but didn’t feel overwhelmed anymore.  It was great to live for a purpose again, and to no longer feel obligated to the world.

BZZZZT

Picking up his cell phone from the table, he answered it immediately.  

“Hello?” he responded casually, thinking it was his father.

“Hey Caleb, it’s Jack Patillo, with the HomeHunters?  How are you doing?” says a familiar warm voice, and Caleb smiled immediately.

“Just fine!  Thank you Mr. Patillo.  How can I help you?” he asks in a professional tone, realizing it might be for a business call.

Jordan sighs painfully , hitting his head comically against the desk.  Caleb just sticks his tongue out at him.

Jack clears his throat over the phone, sounding a little off to him for some reason.  As if he were nervous about something…  

“Well…  Caleb, I was wondering if you’d be interested in an internship with us.  We’re looking for someone to try out  an educational and training program we might consider using. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t be able to pay, and we’d need you on weekends for several hours, but its something that might look really good on college applications!  So maybe consider us?” he says politely.

He grins, flabbergasted.  “I…  I’d…  I’d have to ask my dad first, but I’ll definitely think about it! An internship with a charity like you guys would be phenomenal!  THANK YOU.”

He hears as Mr. Patillo laughs on the other end.  “Wonderful!  Well, just let us know what you decide, call us anytime!  I’m sure the boys would love to have you back soon!  Geoff and I included.” he says happily, in a genuinely caring tone.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he hangs up the phone.  Looking at Jordan giddily, he can’t help but bounce up and down.

“I might get an internship Jordan!  With HomeHunters!  HOLY CRAP MAN!” he says, beginning to really understood what that meant.  They wanted HIM.  He was USEFUL.  Kids LIKED him!

Jordan gives him an irritated look.  “I JUST got you back, and you’re already gallivanting off to a second job?  What the fu-”

Caleb shakes his head.  “RELAX Jordan.  If I do it, I’ll just quit babysitting.  It’s just on weekends, and only for a few hours at a time.  Besides, the HomeHunters are really cool, and it’s not even like a job.  I’m REALLY excited about it!”

Looking down, he can’t help but notice Jordan grinning.  “Well…  If that’s the case…  You think they’d mind have another person to help?  I’m not really good with kids, but…  Maybe I can do something…”

He smiled.  "Maybe?"

~~~~~~~

Afternoon quiz bowl practice was over, much to Kerry’s relief.  

After the drama involving Arryn, nobody had done very well that day, and Mr. Tate was furious.  JJ was irritable and refused to cooperate.  Ryan was furious with JJ over their argument earlier, and how he’d been treating Miles.  Miles was nervous about his new role, and clearly lacked the knowledge that their previous comrade had.

Then…  there was Kerry…  He had his own-

“Miles, when we get home, you are borrowing my history book, and we’re starting at the American Revolution.  Arynn was our ace and like HELL are we going to blow it.  You are going to kick ass, and we’re going to shove it in JJ’s face until he can’t breath!” Ryan says seriously, packing away his backpack at the end of their practice session.

Miles puts on a pouty face, fake-crying.  “Buuuuuttttt Ryaannnnnnn….  I wannnaaa play games with Ray-Ray!” he says, Ryan slapping him on the back of the head in retort.  

“And don’t even THINK about turning on YouTube, taking Edgar on a walk, or running to Gavin to give me the puppy dog eyes, because that shit will NOT fly tonight.” he says in a faked authoritative tone.

Miles rolls his eyes.  ”Fiiiiine….  If I can memorize the entire casts of ten final fantasy games and the names of their best weapons, I think I can remember some old fogies.  How hard could it POSSIBLY be?” he sarcastically retorts.

Ryan puts a finger to his mouth in a pondering expression.  “You know…  If you put as much dedication into this as you did your little gaming black book, we might actually have a god-tier competitor here.  QUICK!  We must associate Presidents with games and their vice presidents as weapons!”

The two laugh, slinging backpacks across their shoulders.  Despite the noise, Kerry can’t help but feel the world was quiet.

…

..

.

_When did…  When did those two get so close?_

Kerry couldn’t help but feel distant from them.  He wasn’t jealous, far from it.  

What had happened to Miles and Ryan was absolutely terrifying, and knew he was lucky to have his mom.  He was thrilled with the life he had, and had a wonderful home life.  No…  Kerry didn’t desire  things like Miles had, but he couldn’t help but feel like he didn’t belong anymore.  Like we was just…  Extra baggage that they didn’t need anymore.  Something they wanted to cast aside.

Even as often as he came by, it was obvious who the third wheel was.  He wondered how long it would be until-    

“KERRY?  You coming? Your mom is probably already waiting outside!” Ryan yells, both of them already waiting at the door.

Shaking his head, he exits his previous daze.  “Sorry, I-”

BZZZZZT

A small pre-pay phone was ringing in Kerry’s front pocket.

“Just a sec guys!” he mutters, pulling out his phone and answering it immediately.  “Hello?”

“LITTLE MAN!!  GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!!  How come you don’t call your ol’ man anymore?” says a painfully irritating voice.

_Oh god…  Not now Jamie….  Just not today…  Not ever…_

Kerry’s father had walked out of his life when he was barely old enough to talk.  The bastard left him and his mother without so much as a dime in exchange for not fighting for custody.  Not wanting a child, he’d gone and found another woman without one.  Then proceeded to have a new family of four within a few years.  

Jamie “tried" to make a relationship happen, but the man was awful at it.  He lived less than fifteen minutes away from Kerry, and the two of them saw each other a grand total of once or twice a year.  Maybe more, but only…  Only whenever he needed something.

_What does he need now?_

Shaking his uncomfortableness off, he turned away from his friends.

 “Sorry Jamie, I’m just…  Real busy these days..  Is everything ok?” Kerry asks, feeling his chest tighten, hoping nobody was sick.  As much as he hated his father, his half-siblings were precious to him, even if he didn’t see them often.

“Well…  Little man….” he starts, in a hesitant tone.  

_Stop calling me that…  I HATE it when you call me that.  CALL ME KERRY.  CALL ME SON.  JUST….._

“Your brother Tanner was surfing porn again-”

_You mean YOU were surfing porn again._

“-and our computer is all sorts of screwed up.  Can you pop by sometime today or tomorrow and fix it?  Danielle needs it for schoolwork, and we just don’t have the money to take it in somewhere else….” his father finishes, in a horrendously pathetic and whining tone.

_Well maybe if you didn’t blow it on booze and that disgusting chewing crap, you’d have money to fix things or buy my sister a nice dress every once in a while._

Kerry shakes his head.  Of the list of things he wanted to do in the evenings, spending an evening at his father’s was NOT on it.

Putting on his best lighthearted tone, he “Jamie…  Now is not a good time.  I have-” he begins, being cut off immediately.

“Little man, PLEASE?  You’re all I have to count on for this, and we never get to see you.  Come have dinner with us?  It’ll be great!” he mutters excitedly.

His chest tightens.

_Really?_

Clutching the bottom of his T-shirt, he can’t help but feel hopeful.  

“Yeah…  I can make it over there tonight…  I’ll get mom to drive me….” he says quietly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True to his promise, Miles broke Ray’s heart and went to outline what he needed to learn by next week.  He and Ryan excused themselves from dinner early, heading to their shared room to work on it.  Laying on his pull out bed, 

It was a daunting task, and he knew there was no way he could get it all.  Instead, he decided to focus on broader subjects, and information that might actually come up more frequently than others.  In a fashion similar to how he did his video game guides, he disregarded filler information, writing down subjects to explore each day.

But with each page grew longer and longer of the information he needed to know, his heart sank further and further into his chest.  How Arynn managed to memorize such volumes of useless information was beyond him.  She was really impressive.  

Though…  As he writing out his gameplan in his notebook, he kept finding himself distracted from the events earlier that afternoon.

“Hey Ryan…  Have you noticed Kerry acting really weird lately, or is it just me?” Miles asks, poking his head out from his book, halting his writing.

He looked up from his own practice book and nodded.  “Yeah…  He’s been real quiet lately.  But maybe he’s just stressed out like we are on the district thing.  Losing Arryn didn’t help anything, and JJ’s being an ass.” Ryan says optimistically, but his face

Miles shakes his head.  “No…  No, if he was stressed out, he’d be more irritable and snap at us.  He’s just…  Clamming up, being really quiet.  Then that shit with his dad tonight?  Jesus, I don’t know how he manages to stay on ANY kind of term with that man.  What a scumbag.” he mutters quietly. His attention faded back to his own father painfully, wondering if Kerry felt the same.  

Ryan sighed.  “Well..  I guess all we can do I talk to him about it.  Should we take a visit to the nearby lake?”

Turnign his face up, Miles tossed his pillow angrily at him.  "NO!  No more drowning your friends Ryan!  BAD!  BAD MAN!"

Their door swings open, a triumphant looking Ray standing gleefully.  He was holding the wii-remote in his hands.  

"TOLD YA!  I already beat that dumb temple!  IT WAS EASY!" he says cockily, grinning as big as his face could muster.

Miles turned to Ryan.  "Oh.  Sorry.  I’m Ray’s best friend now.  You and Kerry go on without me" he says, giving Ray a huge thumbs up.

~~~~~

_… and as the damp clothes clung to his body, Marten couldn’t help but shiver.  Though it was a good cold, one he was proud to have.  “L…L….Let’s go…”  Marten murmurs in a low voice.  As Jeff joins their side, leading them back towards the van, Richard and Marten began their shared experiences together.  Their friendship closer than ever before._

Kerry grinned wildly.  “Well..  That one’s not too bad!  I might just have something here after all!” he says in an optimistic tone.  

Running his fingers across the paper, feeling the indented lead on the paper…  He felt accomplished, the fruit of his labor finally realized.  

He had finally completed the first chapter of his book.  Well, technically it was going to be chapter nine or something, but it was the only one that was completely finished from start to end.  He’d have to check with Miles and Ryan to see if he got everything right, and if they said it was ok, he was going to type it up.  

DING

Looking up, he notices that the anti-virus was finished, and he begins quickly clicking away on the mouse, glad that his job was FINALLY done.  He was eager to call his mom to come get him.    

Kerry had been in his father’s house the last hour, removing what he could only describe as some of the filthiest images he’d ever seen in his life.  Honestly, that was why he never had any desire to swear, drink, or try to look at porn.  Because frankly, he saw what a disgusting and worthless man his father was, and had no intentions of being anything like him.  Kerry would rather DIE than let that happen.

He hears the door swing open to the office space.  “Little man!  All done yet?” his father asks, poking his head into the room.  

Breaking his word, AGAIN, he’d failed to remember that everyone had gone out of the house that evening.  So dinner was out.

His father, Jamie Shawcross, was a rather…  Large man, with a heavily protruded beer belly.  Jamie’s hair and beard matched Kerry’s hair color exactly, and it was frequently mentioned at how close they were in facial appearance.  Aside from the significant weight difference, that was mostly true.  

Nodding his head, Kerry plastered on a smile, trying not to be rude.  "Yeah…  All done now.  Just working on my…  Um…  Book a bit while I was waiting on a scan."

Jamie’s face brightens significantly.

“Hahaha!  Like father like son!  When I was your age, I LOVED English class, it was my BEST subject!  I always said I was going to write a novel someday, just never quite had the time for it.  Good to see the Shawcross gene passed on successfully in ya!” he says proudly.

Every emotion in Kerry’s body fell all at once.  

“Oh?  Is that so?” he replies, feeling his father’s hand on his shoulder.  

“Well, good to see we DO have something in common!  But little man, you’ve GOT to find something more fun than just writing to do.  I’m always real worried that you’ll end up a little TOO fruity one of these days.  Heh!  I know you don’t like huntin’, but why don’t we go fishin’ or something?  Oh, but I’ll call you about that later.  I don’t know when I’ll be off work next.” he lies, his gaze downward and to the left, not facing Kerry in the slightest.

Kerry is speechless. 

_Why…  Why do I even involve myself with you anymore…  All you do is dash EVERYTHING important to me to pieces.  You….   Son of a….._

Looking down at the notebook in his hands, Kerry couldn’t help but want to rip it to shreds.

“J..  Just don’t worry about it Jamie..  I know you’re busy…”he says, resisting the overwhelming urge to cry and hit the man.

~~~~~~

It was a few days before Halloween, and Burnie was lugging his oversized suitcase down the stairs.  

“ASHLEY, WE’RE HEADING OUT!  I’LL CALL YOU WHEN WE LAND!” he yells up, glad to have his girlfriend house-sitting his cat.  He was always worried about poor ol’ Joe when he went on long trips.

"Shh!  I’m texting the typewriter monkies you call animators." Monty ushers, shooting him a dirty look.  

Monty Oum, the creative lead in his production company, was sitting on his couch, fiddling with a tablet PC.  He was, of course, doing work despite his scheduled vacation time, much to Burnie’s irritation.  

The man was in his later twenties, of Asian descent, with solid white hair (though it constantly changed) and a thin framing.  One of the first things anyone would notice about Monty was his fashion.  Dressed in extremely fine clothing, his wardrobe was never boring, always presenting himself in an outstanding way.  Though his fans just called him a living anime character.  Burnie wasn’t sure about that, but it certainly fit on some days.

The two of them met during a convention, talking about possible collaborate efforts.  Burnie had the name and money, Monty had the talent to bring amazing things to life.  A few hit animated films, years of friendship, and an entire anime’-esque television series later, the man became widely respected in the animation community.   Hell, Burnie respected him.  His work ethtic was nothing short of godlike.

His friend sighs again, his face clearly angry.  “Burnie, are you sure I can’t bring my laptop with me?  I wouldn’t work TOO much animation work, just on the plane and-”

_Though he still pisses me off…_

Burnie rolls his eyes, hefting his luggage next to the man, giving him an incredulous look.  His patience was wearing thin.  Grabbing the tablet away from him, Burnie stuffed it into his carry on.  

“NO MONTY.  TAKE YOUR DAMN VACATION TIME.  We can’t do anything else with the RVB remake until we get our damn script done, so RELAX. ” Burnie angrily yells.  

Monty pouts.  “Fineeeee…..    

Burnie’s front door opens widely, a woman entering it with only a few tiny rolling suitcases.  Just a few inches shorter than Burnie, she was wearing incredibly nice clothing.  In a dark green leather jacket, long black banks, and a pale green top, she looked like a woman you’d expect to see working as some big time agent in hollywood.  Well, she would, if her hair weren’t a dark shade of pink.

Monty grinned.  "Tex, your hair!  It’s gorgeous!  What’s the occasion?"  he says sincerely, giving her a big thumbs up.

The woman grinned.  "Oh, nothing really, I just wanted to be pretty for Halloween!  I can’t wait until we get to Dallas, the party is going to be incredible!" she says, walking into a nearby bathroom.

"Huh?  But we’re-"

He nervously coughs, kicking Monty in the shins as his friend opens his mouth.

Turning to him, speaking in a hushed tone,  "Keep your mouth shut about where we’re going and you can have your tablet back.  This is a surprise for Tex, SHUSH." he says angrily, not about to have his full plan ruined.

Burnie felt incredibly anxious.  All he hoped is that she wouldn’t hate him before this weekend was over.  

After all…  

"Tex" hadn’t been home in a very long time.


	16. Luis's Blood

_Florida, for many tourists of the United States, was a tropical getaway.  A place for fun, excitement, and endless entertainment.  It is here that the one of the happiest places on earth resides, and it is here where many come to forget their worries.  To escape the darkness of their lives, and to soak up the sun’s pounding rays of light._

_Yes, to many, it was nothing short of an oasis._

_However._

_It was here that the Narvaez family had made its new home.  In a small estate secluded from the rest of the world, cast in an iron clad-fence, the home was large, and quite eloquent.  A dozen or so intimidating men and women can be found here, patrolling the grounds constantly._

_The Narvaez family, cast out from the world they once knew, has taken it upon themselves to rebuild their once thriving criminal empire.  Beginning their footholds within the United States, it would be years before the family would hold its once terrifying grip on the masses._

_And so it is here where our story begins._

_It is here where the shamed Carlous Narvaez, with his two sons, Luis and Emilio begin their new lives._

_And is is here where they would come to realize…_

_That once you enter these tropical grounds?  There is no way in…  And no way out…._

______________________________ __

(20 Years Ago)

Outside the Narvaez Estate, two young boys are racing up and down the sandy beach.  One is much farther ahead of the other, the smaller of the two clearly exhausted from the exertion.

"EMI!  YOU’RE NEVER GONNA CATCH ME!" Luis screams, laughing playfully as his big brother tries desperately to keep pace with him.

Despite being a year younger than his older brother Emilio, Luis was the far more athletic of the two.  Even at age 10, he had a lean, muscular figure and bronzed tan.  Like his brother, he shared the signature dark black Narvaez hair, which felt hot on his head as it aborted the sunlight.  Emilio, by contrast, was rather pale, just like their father.  He wasn’t one for outdoor activities, and much preferred the luxuries that their home afforded them.  Although a little bigger in weight than Luis, he still was an intimidating sight.  After all, their father was more than insistent that they always be in top conditioning.

"Luis…  I’m tired, can we quit running?  This is boring!" Emilio moans, stopping for a moment to catch his breath.

Luis just shakes his head.  "Brother!  Father will scold you again if you don’t do well in your physical!  I’m just trying to help you!" he replies, feeling concerned for his brother’s fate.  Their father, Carlous, would soon be pitting them against each other as usual.  In races, in weight lifting, and in play-fighting.  They didn’t know why, but he was always more interested in who the stronger of the two was.  Unfortunately for Emi, Luis had bested his brother in every attempt that was made.  Something their father was ALWAYS eager to point out.  

Emilio groans loudly.  "Who cares what father thinks.  It’s not like this is important!  You’ll always be his favorite Luis, I’m just…  Second best…" he mutters shamefully, his face reflecting the jealousy that Luis could clearly hear.  

Moving towards him, Luis pats him on the back.  "Emi, you just have to try harder!  Think about what you could accomplish if you would just tell yourself “I Know I Can!" instead of always whining and saying “I Know I Won’t!"", he says, in an optimistic tone.  

Emilio shoots him an irritated glance.  "You heard that from Madeline at school.  You’re not smart enough to say stuff like that!" he says snarkily.  

He blushes.  Madeline was their best friend from school.  She was really pretty, and Luis liked her a lot.  "Maddie" was smart too, and knew all sorts of cool stuff.  He and Emilio didn’t get to go over to kids houses like other boys and girls, so they didn’t have many friends.  Madeline liked them, however.  They always played together on the playground.

Luis just shoots his tongue out at his brother, and slaps him on the back of the head.  Perhaps a little harder than what was necessary.  

"HEY!" Emi shoots back, grabbing for Luis’s hair, but missing completely.  He races off, and the two begin their chase anew.  

_________________________

(17 Years Ago)

BANG…..BANG…..

Inside their spacious living room, decorated with incredibly tacky tropical designs, Luis watched in horror as a man slumped into his feet.

_W…What is this?  Father?!_

Their father, Carlos Narvaez, had introduced the now deceased man as…  "A Traitor to the Family".  Neither he nor his brother knew what he meant by that, but the man’s time was short lived in their presence.  The bullet wounds were bleeding heavily, and the floor was covered in blood.  It was pooling and gleamed in the sunlight through the window.

"FATHER!  W…WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Emilio shrieks, standing up and covering his mouth.  His brother looked like he was going to vomit any second.  

Carlos sighed.  "I merely wished to show you…  The life you will soon become accustomed to.  You are both thirteen.  The truth…  Had to come out eventually." he mutters, wiping the gun on his shirt.

Their father was quite tall, darkly complected and with a toned body from years of hard work.  Like his sons, the man had short cut black hair, with a scruffy beard to match. He was intimidating to all that would stand before him, his family included.

A few of their “guards" came through, and began dragging the now deceased body away.  

Unable to contain his horror, Emilio begins heaving painfully into a nearby potted plant.  Carlos groans, rubbing his forehead in irritation. “For the love of god boy, it’s just a body.  Grow a pair already." he says, frustrated beyond belief.

Carlos then turns his attention to him, looking him over with great interest.  "Luis, you don’t seem as…  Bothered by this as your brother.  Why is that?" he mutters, holstering his weapon into his leg.

He shook his head.  "I…  I don’t know what to think about all of this, really.  I’m just…  Scared, to be honest.  But..  You are my father.  You wouldn’t do this.  Just for fun." Luis mutters, avoiding his father’s dark expression.

Emilio begins dry heaving once more, not paying either of them any attention.

Standing up from his chair, Carlos makes his way towards Luis. He steps through the puddle of blood without a second glance, it covering his once polished shoes.  "Then shall I explain it to you?" he says.

Luis nods quietly, trying his best to ignore as his father’s men sling the body into a bag and drag it outside the house.  The floor was ruined by this point, blood trailing everywhere.    

"We are the Narvaez Family.  Once the most feared criminal organization in all of Puerto Rico.  We were almost destroyed entirely by one of our most powerful rivals.  Your mother died in this attack, and your grandfather died protecting us as we escaped.  That is why…  That is why we have come to the United States.  To rebuild in secret and start a new empire.  It has been…  Difficult.  But I have worked diligently since you two were in diapers.  The day will come…  When you two will inherit what you were meant to.  A life of wealth, power, influence, and…  Endless possibilities." he quietly musters, putting his hands onto Luis’s shoulders.  Looking up, Luis spots the crazed look in his eyes.  A look that he’d never be able to forget.

"You will soon work towards taking what I gained from my father so many years ago…  The one I fought and killed my own brothers tooth and nail for.  Being…  Our leader." he says, grinning wildly.

Luis wanted nothing more than to join his brother in the potted plant.

_________________________

(14 Years Ago)

Luis and Emilio exchange painful glances with one and other. Sitting in an isolated room inside the house, the three of them shared at a table.  With only a few armed guards to the sides, it was a small affair.

Though with the words his father had just spoken…  He understood why.

"…F…Father?" Emi cries, his body shaking in fear.  

Carlous Narvaez shook his head, not acknowledging his sons.  

"You heard me son.  My word is final.  Your fate…  Rests in him." he mutters again, turning his gaze to Luis.  

From his hands, he slides a small hunting knife to the younger son.  He’d seen it countless times, his father’s most prized possession.  Mounted proudly on the wall, it was none other than “The Blade of the Narvaez Clan", or so their father said.  It had the appearance of a typical hunting knife, roughly the size one’s forearm.  On its metallic hilt was dozens of names carved.  He didn’t, however, recognize any of them.  The blade was disgusting, covered in small stains of what he could only think was blood.

Luis looks up at his father, grabbing the knife from and holding it shakily in his hands.  

"Luis..  You are, in every sense of the word, a real man.  You are sixteen years old my child, and it is now time for you began your training in succeeding me.  Becoming a REAL Narvaez.  A part of what we do.  I want YOU as my successor." he says in a serious manner, giving Emilio a dark look.  

"Your brother, on the other hand, is a sniveling coward unworthy of my time or respect.  I hereby make him your trial, your rite.  " he mutters, the color slowly escaping from his face.  

He shakes his head.  "Father, I don’t understand…   Why are you…"

Carlos slams his fist into the table.  "YOU HEARD ME BOY.  I ORDERED YOU TO KILL YOUR BROTHER!  The only way one can be a man in this family?  It is to take the life of another.  For only then can you ever know the true value of life." he shrieks.

His dark words causes Emilio to drop from his chair, and attempt to run.  His attempt at flight is short lived, as one of the rew men inside the room grab Emilio.  They return him screaming to the table they had been sitting at, forcing his face into the wood.  He is held down, and it is obvious what they are expecting.

Emilio is sobbing now.  ’NO!  NO!  FATHER!  I’M SORRY!  I’LL DO BETTER!  I SWEAR IT!  ANYTHING!  I’LL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT!" he screams, pleading helplessly.

Luis watched as his father just sighed painfully.  "THIS.  This is what I meant.  You have no honor Emilio.  You have no courage!  You do not have what it takes to capture what was RIGHTFULLY yours.  Luis is your younger brother, and yet you latch on to him like a parasite.  You force him to make up for your failures, your…  PATHETIC attempt at gaining my approval.  Sucking away at his life, damming him to forever being in your shadow!  No more.  There is only one way to settle this.  Luis must take the reigns of our family.  I have not worked for the last three years to see it fall into the hands of a…  CHILD." he spits out venomously.  

Luis returns his gaze to his father.  "No.  I refuse father.  I will not take my brother’s life." he mutters, stabbing the blade into the wooden table, scarring it.    

His father shakes his head, retrieving it for himself.  Standing up swiftly, he then moves slowly towards the still sobbing and begging Emilio.  Slowly putting the blade to his neck, his attention never once leaves Luis’s.

"Do you see this?  Do you see THIS mess?  This is not a man.  Luis, do you HONESTLY think for a moment that your brother could pull the trigger to a gun?  End someone’s life?  Be the kind of person that decides who will live and who will die?  NO.  He cannot.  If he were a true man, he would try and fight me off.  But no.  He lies there, whimpering, begging for someone ELSE to save him.  You are ten times the man your brother is, if not more.  If the roles were reversed?  Would he save you?  NO.  So kill him.  Rid yourself of his influence, and join at my side already!  You must kill someone anyway on this day, so why not benefit from it?  It makes PERFECT sense to me. " he says in a grandiose manner of speaking.  This was an act for his father.  A play.  He reveled in this, not realizing how disgusted the two were with him.  

Luis stands up, moving quickly towards his father.  

"Take.  Your.  Hand.  Off.  My.  Brother." he speaks confidently, pulling a firearm from his waist and pointing it at his father’s head.    

Carlos smiles.  "THERE.  THAT is the kind of man we need at the reins.  One without fear.  One without hesitation.  A MAN THAT KNOWS WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE!  HIS FAMILY!" he screeches almost insanely.  

"L….L….Luis…  S…Save….M…mE…." Emilio chokes, still sobbing as the blade slowly began cutting into his neck.  

Luis re-firms his aim, the gun now trained expertly on his father’s skull.  If he pulled the trigger, the man would perish instantly.  Luis would die too, from his father’s men, but he didn’t care.  

"Put it away Father.  Now." he says in a chilling voice he wasn’t aware that he possessed.  

Carlos sighs, pulling the knife away from Emilio’s neck. Standing up from the slouched positioning over Emi, his father slams the blade into the table, directly in front of the older son.  "You  **will**  kill tonight, do you understand me?  Both you AND your brother.  Take a moment to compose your SNIVELING brother and meet me outside.  Grab our blade on the way out." he mutters in a condescending tone.  Turning his gaze towards his older son, his eyes are nothing short of predatory.

"Emilio.  You have one year.  If I do not see a remarkable improvement in your behavior, training and seriousness to the family goal?  Well…  I’ll take something far more precious from you than just your life.  If your brother is insistent on letting you live, you best make the BEST of this situation.  You will NOT inherit this family name merely because of your age.  You must EARN it as well you… pathetic pest. I don’t know why Luis bothers with someone so useless as you are.  I hope, for your own sake, that you prove me wrong.  VERY wrong." he mutters in a dark tone.  The fierceness of his eyes only helped to intensify his words.

Luis watches as his brother is released from his father’s goons.  The boy stifles a sob and begins nodding his head repeatedly.

"I…  I SWEAR.  I’LL DO BETTER." he screams, trying desperately to look at his father.  The man, however, merely walks away.  

As the room slowly empties, the two brothers are left alone.  Luis embraces his brother, comforting him.  

"It’s ok Emi…  We’ll get through this, together, I promise." he says, as confidently as he could muster.  He massages his back, trying to calm his brother.  It was, however, not working.

_Tomorrow at school is going to be interesting…  Maybe Madeline can help him.  She’s good at comforting people in need._

Turning his gaze back to the table, he can’t help but look at the knife in horror, thinking of what their father would make them soon do.

____________________________

(12 Years Ago)

Luis’s eighteenth birthday was a fairly simple affair.  He and Madeline spent it on the beach with his brother, celebrating with some of the strongest alcoholic drinks the house offered.  Nobody really cared that they were underage.  Most people living in the house knew what they were going through.  Some of them pitched in themselves, throwing them a few bottles throughout the day.

Sitting sounded really boring, but they all merely wished to relax.  The days to come would become increasingly stressed on their friendship, and he fully intended to keep the truth of his family from her.  Really, he wanted to keep it from everyone in his old life in public education.  They were safer that way.  Though many had seriously questioned why he didn’t pursue a college degree, including a few befuddled teachers.  As his father had instructed, he had dropped out.  That’s all there was to it.  No more waking up early and trudging off to boring classes for him.  No…  A whole new world awaited him.

Officially welcomed into the Narvaez Family as an enforcer, he would soon begin his duties in assisting the family in any way he could.  Usually this meant he would just go with drug runs, being a spot for whoever was making a deal.  Though…  The prospect of being a hit man wasn’t completely out of the picture, as his father had already informed him.

As much as he didn’t want to pursue that kind of life…  And as much as he wanted to run from it all…  He couldn’t.  Not with Emi in the situation he was in.  Luis would not abandon his brother, especially in his…  State.

True to his word, Emilio changed.  Almost overnight.  He took everything more seriously, almost…  Painfully so.  

His brother stayed at the firing range for countless hours into the night every day.  Emilio’s accuracy was spot on.  He toughed up, began bottling his emotions and emulating Luis as best he could.  Though…  The one issue he could not overcome was his respect for life.  The man began hunting animals, trying to end his distaste for taking life.  It was slow, but…  Luis watched as his brother began distancing himself from his own heart, trying desperately to be the man father wanted him to be.      

Reclining comfortably on the beach chair, he sat in between Madeline and Emilio.  It would be the last time they’d probably all three be able to stay together.  Luis would go off around the United States, serving his father and older brother in whatever capacity they required of him.  Emilio would be by his father, watching and learning from his every move.  And Madeline?  Well..  She would be free.  Able to do whatever her heart desired.  

The two of them tried to mask their jealously, but the quiet nature of the evening merely created tension.

Tension she picked up on immediately.

"Luis?  Is everything all right?  You and Emi have been…  So distant today.  Like you’re in a completely different world." she mutters in a concerned tone.  

He closes his eyes.

_I am.  I am in a completely different world.  One where..  I’m so far away from you that it hurts._

Mustering as much self-control as he could, he shakes his head.  "I’m fine…  Just…  A little tired, that’s all.  My father has me…  Busy lately.  I’ve got a lot on my plate." he says in a low voice, trying his best to hide the truth.

She sees through it immediately.  "You’re lying to me.  Both you AND Emi have been so far away from me, I don’t know what to think about all this!  The three of us have been together forever Luis.  Please, just…  Just tell me what’s wrong." Madeline pleads, clutching his hand as hard as she could.  

"Yes.  Tell her son." his father says coldly.

Luis jerks his eyes open quickly, noticing that his father is standing over him.  His own glass in hand, the man took a seat between them in the sand.  

Madeline looks at his father nervously.  "W…  What does he mean?  Luis?" she asks in a curious, yet horrified manner.

He hesitates, and Carlos puts his hand on Luis’s knee.  "Son.  You’re eighteen.  You’re an adult and a man.  If there is someone you want, someone you truly want? They need to know the truth about us, and we need to know, so they can be let into our family.  After all…  I may be your boss, but I am also your father.  I do have hopes for grandchildren, you know….  And I’m sure this lovely lady would be a fine catch for you or your brother." he says chuckling at the end, winking suggestively.

_Disgusting_ _pig…  Go away, this is OUR time._

Luis turns his face to Madeline. The woman has such a kind, soft expression.  He knows that if she is brought into their world…  There is no way for her to escape.  

"Father, I don’t know what you’re talking about.  Madeline is just my friend from school.  She…  She’s nothing to me.  Just another girl that Emi and I don’t care a THING in the world about.  We don’t have many friends, you know." he mutters bitterly, avoiding her hurt expression forming.

_I can’t. I…  I love her too much._

There’s a small hiccup, and Luis noticed that his brother had been..  Really going away on the booze tonight.  "JESUS you’re stupid Luis.  Well, if he’s not gonna say, I will.  Because I DO like you Maddie.  I DO want you in our lives, because I CARE about you.  Short story.  We’re criminals.  We deal drugs, we kill people, and we’re going to be one of the most powerful families in all the world.  FUN STUFF!  REAL FUN STUFF!  So you might as well come along for the ride, it’s going to be FUN!  Far better than college!" he says in a far too jovial tone.  He was completely hammered.

Luis’ heart sinks.  

_W…  What have you done?_

Carlos takes her by the hand and jerks her from the seat.  "We have some things to discuss young lady…  As unfortunate as it is…  My older son has sealed your fate with us.  But don’t worry.  You don’t be harmed, so long as you cooperate nicely.  But I’m sure…  I’m sure you won’t mind in time." he mutters.

Madeline looks at Luis, her face panic-stricken and broken.  "T..This is a joke, right Luis?  RIGHT?" she screams, being pulled farther and farther away from the two of them.

Eventually, her voice escapes his range of hearing.  Barely audible, he wished nothing more than to be at her side, but…  He couldn’t.

His brother chuckles, taking another long swig of his beer.  "Well, bout time ONE of us did that.  I swear, I didn’t think you were so much of a chicken-shit.  What happened to big-tough Luis?  Don’t tell me you-"

Emilio does not get a chance to finish his sentence.  Luis stands and turns to his brother.  Within his body was more rage than he’d ever held in his entire life.  Eighteen years of pent up frustration and…  He wanted nothing more than to kill his brother, then and there.  For what he had done…  

Luis’s face reddens, and he begins bearing his teeth, growling angrily.  "WHY!?  WHY DID YOU DO THAT?  DAMMIT EMI, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’VE DONE?  FUCK YOU!  YOU SON OF A BITCH!" he screams, grabbing his younger brother by the neck.  Luis raised him up from the chair, both arms choking the breath from his neck.  "DO YOU REALLY WANT HER INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS?  SHE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT STUCK BY US!  THE ONLY FUCKING ONE YOU PIECE OF SHIT!  NOW YOU DAMN HER INTO OUR LIVES?  FOR WHAT?  FOR WHAT BROTHER?  TELL ME NOW!

Emi doesn’t fight him.  Realizing that continuing his assault would result in his death, Luis drops his brother painfully back into his chair.  Emilio coughs once or twice, trying to catch his breathe and regulate his heart.  After a few moments of angry silence, Luis notices his brother staring a hole into his skull.

"Because maybe I wanted SOMETHING good in my life Luis.  Just one thing.  I love her Luis.  I know you do too, but…  I don’t care.  You got EVERYTHING.  The looks, the talent, father’s admiration…  You’ll always be number one around here.  Even after I become boss?  I WILL ALWAYS HAVE YOU LOOMING OVER ME, a knife just WAITING to plunged in my back the MOMENT I screw up.  People always knowing I was the weaker of the two.  So don’t you DARE judge me Luis.  I want ONE good thing, and like HELL am I going to let you take it from me.  I want a fucking chance with her…  And Im not letting her go." he whispers scathingly.  

Luis shook his head painfully.  "Father is right.  You really are…  A coward." he retorts.  Standing up, he kicks his chair as hard as he could, sending it flying into the ocean.

He makes his way towards the house, hoping to support her when things began to shatter around her.  

———————————

(6-7 Years Ago)

As Luis approached his later twenties, a lot of things had changed in their lives.  They were given more responsibilities within the family.  Emilio, as the older brother, began training to take over the family.  He’d done very well since his youth, and was just as strong as Luis was.  Father accepted him as successor, and Luis gave him his blessing and support.  The family was glad to have him.  

Luis, as the younger brother, was training to become his protector.  His “guardian" as his father referred it.  He would become Emilio’s right hand, executing his will, and protecting his well being.  

That was fine.  They would have accepted their new “jobs" without much fuss.  After all, they didn’t have much choice.   

Though…  As they aged…  More intimate parts of their life were also being dictated.  Parts that…  Shouldn’t have been.

The two brothers sitting painfully in Luis’s room, each have a painful stare.  One of disgust.  

Luis turns his gaze downward.  "So…"

Emilio nods.  "She is…  Going to be made into my wife.  Tomorrow brother.  Father insists it.  I’m sorry, I…  I tried.  I tried to tell him how much I loved Sara, but…  He wouldn’t have it.  I’m not a very good actor." he says, in a truly repentant tone.

He cringes, feeling his heart break in half.  Luis knew the day was coming.  Emilio had to be married, and had to produce an heir.  That was…  Just how it was.  And father knew who the strongest woman was in their organization.

Madeline.    

In the years since she learned the truth, she’d adjusted well enough.  She was never really happy about what she was forced into doing, and it took her a few years before she could do it without crying, but…  Her soul was brave, toughing through it all.  She wanted to live and support him and Emilio, so she did what she had to.  Madeline had done as she was told.  Making runs, performing hits, or whatever was required of her to be useful to the family.  Then, somewhere along the way, she’d made a name for herself.  "God’s Fallen Angel" or some dribble about her religion.  The goons in their family were horrible individuals.

Sighing, Emilio continues.  "Father has someone for you as well.  Sara, I assume.  It will be a double wedding.  Some of our allies will be there.  A show of power, supposedly.  The new head of the family alongside his guardian.  Two of the strongest young men in the country, as he puts it.  He’s so damn proud of himself, the fucking monster…" he finished, shaking his head.  

The two of them were in mutual agreement over how surreal their lives had become.  Everything had become dictated for them.  From what they did, who they killed, and then to who they married.  

Luis tries everything within his power to be happy for Madeline and Emilio.  If she had to be wed to someone else, he was glad it was his brother.  Emilio would protect her, he loved her as much as Luis did.  What he’d said all those years ago?  He meant it.  The two had been inseparable, and he did everything in his power to make her comfortable in her new life.  His feelings were horrendously transparent.  

He feels as Emi puts a firm hand on his shoulder.  

"But…  That is tomorrow brother.  Tonight?  She is a free woman.  And…  One who can pursue her heart’s desire.  I…  I will take father out tonight with the rest of the men.  I assume you won’t desire the more…  Despicable pleasures of our evening.  So…  Please…  Say your peace with her while you can, or…  Do whatever needs to be done.  And tell her…  That I’m sorry for what I’ve done to her.  I regret it.  I wish you two could be together, away from all this.  As much as I love her, I know it was you she always admired more." he states in a saddened tone.

He looks up, stunned at his brother’s words.  "Emi…"

Emilio shakes his head.  "No..  This is the least I can do for you brother.  I realize now the situation we will soon be in together.  Of the place my heart will soon sink to.  Allow me to give you this last kindness.  Before I…  Before I’m forced into becoming a monster to you." he mutters painfully.  Removing his hand, the two stand up.  Embracing one and other, there is a shared pain welling in each of their hearts.  

"Thank you…  Emi." he says, shutting his eyes tightly.

He feels as his brother puts his head into his shoulder.  "No..  Thank you Luis.  For everything.  For…  Keeping me alive." he says.

The two release each other.  Saying his best wishes, Emilio exits the door he had entered through, and leaves without another word.  

~

Madeline’s chamber wasn’t far away, the three of them were never far away from one and other.  Finally gathering his courage, he knocks.  

"Luis." he states plainly.

The door is unlocked, and her smiling face is revealed from the crack in the door.  "Hi.  Did you not go out with your brother and father tonight?  I hear it’s going to be QUITE the bachelor party." she says, snickering playfully.

Shaking his head, Luis grins.  "I’m not..  I’m not really into that stuff…  But uh.. Can…  We talk a minute?" he asks.  Nodding, she escorts him into her chamber.  It was very much not like the rest of their rooms.  Instead of the tropical-inspired messes that the rest of them had, hers was very simplistic.  White furniture and a few wicker chairs.  Though it was adorned with countless religious regalia.  The Holy Mother was on her dresser, a rosary not far from it.  Madeline had always been a woman of faith.  While Luis had given up on god years ago, he couldn’t help but be impressed with her dedication, even when living such a sinful life.

Taking a seat next to her on the bed, the two exchange worried glances.

"I…  I don’t know if you-" he stutters.

"You mean my new husband to be?  Emi?  Yes, I heard.  He told me himself, and…  That I should expect you." she says, wiping her bangs from her hair and smiling nervously.  

"I suppose…  I’m not too upset by this.  He is a good man at heart, and I’ve known him as a close friend for years.  And I know he loves me..  So I shouldn’t.   Mind…" 

Luis nods.  "He’ll take good care of you.  I will too.  After all, I’m to be your husband’s guardian.  That extends to you and…   Any children the two of you might have."

Madeline attempts a forced smile.  "Then I know I’m in good hands Luis." she states, grabbing his hand.  Intertwining their fingers, he feels a spark between them.  A flutter in his heart.  Feelings he tried so long ago to bury away.  

Biting his lip, he nods his head.  "You are.  And I swear this to you…  Should you ever need me…  For ANYTHING.  Ask it, and if it is within my power to do so…  I will grant your wish.  On my honor…" he mutters quietly, turning to look into her eyes.  

_Madeline…_

She’s crying.  "Thank you…  And…  Know that I always loved you Luis…  Everything about you.  Even after I learned about…  Everything else.  How you protected your brother, how you had so much love in your heart.  And despite everything you’ve been through?  You still have your soul.  A beautiful one."

Luis shakes his head.  "I lost that a long-"

He feels her clutch his hand tighter than he thought was possible.  

"NO.  Someone without a soul doesn’t swear an oath to protect…  Someone he.  Someone he…" she chokes, becoming somewhat hysterical.  

Feeling tears run down his own cheeks, he affirms her thoughts.  Thoughts he’d buried since his youth.  "Someone…  I love." 

There is no hesitation in her reaction.  

Madeline jumps into his arms, and attacks his face.  Kissing him on the lips furiously, she pushes him backwards onto the bed.  As her long hair falls to both sides of his face, Luis embraces her tightly.  Any space between them was too much space.  This is what he wanted, what she wanted.  What they wanted more than anything else in the world.

To be together.  To have their hearts united as one.

The one thing that, after that night, would never be possible again.  

Releasing her grip on his face, she pants heavily above him.  "I love you…"

Luis nods.  "I love you too…"

———————————————

5-6 Years Ago

Life would soon become cozy for Luis.  Almost nine months after her wedding with Emilio, Madeline had given birth to her first child, a son.  His orders, per his brother, was to protect the two of them without falter and to never leave their side.  An order he was glad to accept.  Their father still held majority power in the family, but was slowly handing duties over to Emilio.  One of which, was his brother.  

Sitting in Emilio’s own tropical villa just a few miles away from the main Narvaez compound, he couldn’t help but stare at the little bundle of joy from across the room.  He cooed happily all hours of the day, one of the happiest babies he’d ever seen in his life.  Though…  His mother was less than happy.  Madeline seemed distant that day, much to his dismay.

"Madeline?  Everything ok?  You seem so…  Faraway.  Is everything ok?" he asked.  

Still cradling her child, tears ran down her face.  "Luis.  I’ve…  I’ve killed people."

Luis’ face cracks.  Standing up from his chair, he begins walking to her side quickly.  

"I’ve..  Sold people drugs, stuff that destroyed lives.  I’ve lied, cheated, stolen and…  Done such..  Horrible things…" she stutters, tears falling down her face.

Grabbing her hand, he clutches it tightly.  "Madeline..  Wha-"

She lets out an audible sob, and he notices that the child’s face turns blank.  He no longer has the happy stare, and begins reaching for his mother’s face.  

"And…  Emi….  He’s already…  Talking about how Ray will be heir to…  So much more than any of us knew.  A bigger empire, one far more grand than his father ever had." she said hysterically, handing Luis her child immediately as he sits next to her.

"Maddie…  What are you getting at?  Of course he-" he begins, being cut off by another sob.

"Luis.  You promised me something.  On that night, long ago.  I beg for you to keep to your word.  I can’t stay here.  I can’t…  I can’t put my son through WORSE than what you and Emilio went through.  I won’t. Get us out of here.  Take us far away and make it so that he can’t find us.  Please!  Please Luis, I beg you.  I’ve done such horrible things Luis, and…  He’ll grow up tainted…  Ray is young enough that he’s still innocent of our sins.  We can spare him this life, make sure he NEVER knows about it, and… and I have to…  I have to try." she demands, lowering herself onto the floor and begging.  

Panic rushes through his blood.  

"Maddie…  You know I can’t-"

"TRY.  PLEASE.  JUST TRY." she screams, still on her knees.  

"I…  I can’t-"

The bundle in his arms begins to make happy noises again, smiling at him eagerly.  Looking down, he can’t help but notice the boy’s eyes.  They…  They weren’t his mother’s.  But they…  They weren’t his father’s either.

_Those are…_

"Luis…  You have to try…  For..  For your son’s sake." she says in a shattered voice.  

Everything in the world began spiraling, and his heart begins beating more quickly than he ever had felt before.  He felt every pump of his blood, and his muscles twitched.

"I…  How?" he stammers, looking down at the child again.  

Madeline shakes her head.  "I was pregnant before Emilio and I ever slept together.  The evening we shared…  and then…  Your brother, despite his…  Position…  Is very much the gentleman he always was.  He gave me my space, and…  I only forced it upon him when I discovered my condition.  If he knew the truth…  If your FATHER knew the truth…  You’d die." she stutters.  

Luis didn’t care about himself.  No…  He’d never intended on having children PERIOD, much less a son that would be forced into their life.  

_I…  I can’t…  It’s impossible…  There is no way out of this family._

Still trying to figure things out, he takes a hand away from Ray and begins to grasp his forehead tightly.  Trying desperately to make it all go away.

The child coos again, making direct eye contact with him.  Smiling…  So…  Naively unaware of the world around him.

_R..Ray…_

———————————-

(3 Months Ago)

Dinner at the Narvaez home was tense that evening.  It was rare for them all to be assembled together, but they had come at his father’s insistence.  

Madeline and Ray had been gone for years, and it was a sore spot in their organization.  Luis was shamed immediately, having “fallen" for her trap that allowed her escape.  Luckily, Emilio had spared him his life, on the condition that he recover them at some point.  

His father, however, was beyond furious.  It showed weakness in their family, and he’d been beaten to a pulp for it.  He had, however, been forgiven by Carlos eventually.  It was, after all, his only failure in life. 

He and Sara had a child together, not long after Madeline escaped.  His father’s orders.  Something about an insurance policy.  His father named her Mia, after his late grandmother.  She was an adorable child, and loved music above all else in the world.  Her voice was that of an angel, and he wished more than anything to get her out of that hell hole.

"Very quiet tonight…" Emilio says quietly, taking a long drink from his glass.  

Though the silence of the evening is short lived.

"How is the search for the bitch and my grandson going Luis?  I understand it is difficult, but…  Surely you must know something." Carlos mutters, cutting viciously into a steak.  

Luis shakes his head.  "She is wise.  Whatever traces of her there are?  Madeline is wiping them as she goes." he says in a concerned tone.  

Carlos pops the meat into his mouth and chews loudly.  "Then you are lucky.  I brought you both here today to inform you we have found them."

His eyes widen, and he almost vomits on the spot.  

_Madeline.  Ray.  No…_

"Texas.  We have visual confirmation of the woman at a gas station.  Nothing stable, just a photo, but we have a general idea of where she must be.  Finding her from there should be a piece of cake.  Unsure about the child, but we assume he is in her car or in the room that she is staying.  You’re to be on a flight there TONIGHT and retrieve them yourself.  Do not fail me son.  I do not want a repeat of your last…  Punishment." he exclaims quickly.  

Luis nods.  "Yes sir.  I’ll go pack immediately." he says, leaving the remainder of his plate untouched.  Avoiding their gaze, he rushes towards his room.  In the short walk there, his hand has already flied to his drop phone.  An exact replica of his typical phone, though with a different SIM card through a phony identity.  Unconnected to any of the the Narvaez family, he quickly dials the only number within it.  As the phone rings, several times, a panicked voice entered the other line.  

"Have they found us?" Madeline utters silently.  On the other end, he can hear a small child laughing, a television set playing loudly in the background.  

Luis frowns.  "Yes, I need a car immediately.  I’m heading to the airport to retrieve the woman that betrayed us all." he mutters, hoping to dissuade any prying ears from learning the truth.

"No…." Madeline stutters in horror, her tone utterly devastated.

"No, we haven’t confirmed if she has the kid yet.  We just have reports of them driving through Texas, near the Austin area.  I’m ordering a cease-watch on her immediately though.  If she gets spooked, she’ll run or do something drastic.  We won’t engage until I arrive there, is that understood?" he states, opening the door to his room, and quickly rushing to his closet.  Pulling out a few small things, he stuffs them into a nearby bag.

"Wait, so they haven’t seen Ray yet?  I can…  I can still save him Luis…  Give me more time…  I just need until tomorrow morning.  Please…." she begs, and Luis hopes he can do that for her.

"We are assuming she is unarmed, so we will not engage her violently.  Emilio wants her alive, at all costs.  However, if she does engage, we are permitted to use of lethal force.  The grab will take place tomorrow afternoon, the very moment she is alone." he states, painfully aware of what she must be feeling.  Pulling his back onto his shoulder, he exits his room.  Stepping quickly, he walks past his brother and father once more.  

"Luis…  Thank you.  Your son will be in safe hands, I promise." Madeline says, 

"Mommy?  Who are you talking to?  Is that Daddy?  Or Unca?" says a small boy’s voice.  

It’s his son.  

The first time he’d ever heard his son’s voice.  

 _Ray…_   

"I am on my way, do not, under any circumstances fail me.  I will END you otherwise, I promise." he mutters pulling a firearm from a nearby gun cabinet.  Stuffing it into his side holster, and adding another one inside his overcoat, he is soon outfitted as much as he required.

"WAIT!  Luis, at least talk to him.  There’s no harm, you’ve already called, so-"

He hangs up the phone, stuffing it back into his pocket.  

_I don’t want him knowing me.  I don’t want him knowing ANY of us.  It’s for his best interest.  Even though it pains me to not speak with him._

Exiting the Narvaez estate, there is a car already waiting for him.  Taking a deep breath, he enters it.

"Airport.  Now.  It is time we retrieved my nephew." he says in a cold manner, with ferocity in his voice.  The driver obliges, squealing the tires against the pavement.

———————————-

(Present Day)

Madeline wasn’t sure if imprisonment had made her insane or not.  She kept hearing…  Music.  Little tunes as she slept, or small songs as she prayed.  Her guardian angel…  Was he singing to her?  Or was she hallucinating?  Either way, she wasn’t complaining.  It was soothing to her.

From the other side of the room, the iron door that led into the Narvaez compound opened.  Raising her head up from her praying position, she breathes a sigh of relief.  Luis should have returned by then, and she was eager to speak to him.  Turning around, however, she’s surprised to see Emilio unattended for once.  

_What…  What are you doing here?_

As he walks up to her, she turns her gaze away from him.  Whatever love she once had for the man from her childhood was long gone.  It was because of HIM that they were all in this situation.  She would have never cared if her life was the only one involved.  But Ray…  No.  Her heart refused to let him ever be touched.  

"Maddie…" he mutters painfully, gripping the bars that separated them.  

She doesn’t move, frightened of where it might be going.  Aside from the day she’d first been captured, she hadn’t seen her husband.  Madeline wasn’t sure what to think of the man anymore. 

"I’m sorry you were caught.  And…  I’m sorry for…  Striking you.  Father’s lead was there, watching me, I couldn’t do anything.  It was that or…  Killing you.  I didn’t want that, for Ray’s sake."

Frowning, she doesn’t acknowledge him.  

Emilio shakes his head.  "If I had it my way…  I’d let the boy go without a second thought.  You too.  But…  I don’t have a choice Madeline.  Father…  Father wants his grandchild back, at any cost…  Luckily, we are swamped with the the Millefore.  We don’t have much… To spare.  Besides Luis and a pathetically small amount of power and influence." he said, in an extremely pained voice.

She clenches her fists together.  

"Maybe if you were a real man like Luis, you’d stand up for yourself. Actually WANT to try and give your own son a good life.  Instead of damning him to your…  Your…  Shadow.  Or your father’s insanity." she hints in a toxic manner, letting her rage fly.    

His face doesn’t change.  "I know.  I’ll always be a coward, living under his boot.  I’m sorry, I just…  I can’t go against him Madeline.  There’s…  There’s so much you didn’t see as I was growing up.  I can’t disobey him, I have to do as he wishes.  That’s all there is to it.  But…  That doesn’t mean I’m going to rat you two out." he mutters silently.  

Her face pales, and she quickly covers her mouth in horror.

"Relax.  I don’t care.  So long as my father doesn’t ask me outright, I won’t say a word.  Honestly, I don’t even have any proof it is you and Luis.  I’m just…  Assuming he’s the kind of man that would look out for his nephew.  And who would look the other way for the woman he loved.  Still, you and he are playing a dangerous game.  If…  He gets caught, it’s all over.  I won’t be able to protect my son anymore, and Luis will die.  Betrayal…  Doesn’t end well in this family.  So…  Make sure he knows that.  Tell him to be careful, and that his brother thanks him for everything he’s doing." he painfully spoke.  Madeline notices that the man isn’t wearing the dark mask that she’d seen all those months ago.  The mask of the man who was next in line to the Narvaez family.  No…  That was Emi.  The real Emi.

Madeline bites her bottom lip, panic rushing through her.  "What about Mia?  Luis mentioned you were…  Going to…"

He closes his eyes.  "Father’s idea.  If we can’t find Ray by the time Luis and I started our training for succession…  Mia will undergo it.  I have no say in this matter."

Color runs from her face, and she shakes her head.  "Please..  Just stop…  Don’t put little Mia through this because of-"

Emilio re-opens his eyes, water gathering in them.  "I have to.  It’s either Ray or her.  That’s our only options.  I’m sorry." he says, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.  

Taking steps away from the bars, he turns away from her.  As he approaches the iron door exiting her cage, however…  He stops.  

"Just tell me this…  Does he even know my name?  Madeline…  Does my son…  Know me at all?  Know what I look like?"

Madeline digs her nails into her arm.  "No."

Emilio smiles as he opens the door leading back into the Narvaez compound.  "Good.  And I hope he never does."

Walking out of the complex, Madeline can’t help but feel endless pity for the shell of a man.  Despite her situation…

Emilio was far more shackled than she was.  

————————

(Present Day)

-CLICK-

Luis smiled, as his camera snapped another picture of Ray in his adorable little costume.  Having taken up residence in a nearby section of trees, he couldn’t help but feel a tad creepy.  But..  It was worth it.  Seeing him escorting that blond little girl personally to each door was adorable.  Ray was quite the little gentleman.  Madeline would love seeing him, even from behind.  Maybe before the night was over, he might be able to get closer for his face.  He couldn’t KEEP the picture of course, much to his dismay.  As soon as she sees them, he would destroy them immediately.  Having any evidence of his existance was too much. And yet, he couldn’t bear the thought of her not seeing him grow up.  It was too cruel.

Luis re-positions himself in the tree, plopping down on a branch.   As he shifts through the photos, he can’t help but notice that there is an older gentleman in a the far background of each picture.  Not recongizing it as any of his son’s companions or family, he immediately worries.  

Turning his gaze back towards Ray, he notices that he, his girlfriend, and the teenage boy accompanying them were just a step or two ahead of the rest of the group.  Not out of sight, but just enough that there was a significant gap.  

And sure enough, right behind them…  

Was the same man he’d seen in each of their pictures. 


	17. Kara's Nightmare

_(One Week Earlier)_

_Chris had been sitting at his window for nearly all of the morning.  He hadn’t left that side of the house for a second since he’d awoken and dressed himself.  His head would crack immediately as someone walked by, or when the elevator would ding open.  His face was eager, waiting for something._

_Their home was rather nice.  A small apartment with only a few bedrooms, but incredibly well furnished.  Expensive leather sofas, high grade technology, and beautiful works of art.  Though the most impressive feature is that it looked as though nobody lived there.  In spotless condition, not a thing was out of place.  The few toys Chris played with were tucked in his room, far away from the main area of the home._

_Large clops could be heard from the hallway, the sound of firm heels slamming angrily against the hardwood floor.  "I swear…  That Stella is always SO late.  For the love of god, does she not know how to do ANYTHING right?" a woman screams, coming into view behind Chris._

_It was his mother, Mrs. Demarais.  His mommy was tall, skinny and very pretty looking.  She had long blonde hair, pretty red lips, and wore fancy skirts.  She was a Lawyer who worked with Brandon’s daddy._

_Chris turns around from the window.  "Mommy…  Can I-"_

_She shushes him, dialing a number angrily and signaling him to be quiet.  After a moment of silence, the other end picks up._

_"STELLA.  WHERE ARE YOU.  My date with Mr. Farmahini is in half an hour, and we still have to drive there!" she screams._

_Sighing, she rubs her forehead, the other end of the line speaking._

_"Fine.  Yes, that’s wonderful.  Cake.  I forgot, sorry.  You’re right…  Just get here soon." she says coldly, hanging up the line.  Turning her face towards her son, she shoots a happy grin, her face changing in a split second.  "Well!  Looks like someone’s birthday is today!" she says in a happy, almost sing-song, tune.  Walking over towards him, she gives him a big hug.  "Mommy’s sorry she can’t be here today…  Mr. Farmahini and I have plans already.." she says in a pouting voice._

_Chris put his face down, looking at his feet.  "It’s ok Mommy…  Brandon is coming, and Nanny Stella says we’ll have lots of fun!" he says, trying to be optimistic._

_His mother pats him on the head, and begins walking away from him.  Facing a mirror, she begins to apply a fresh coat of lipstick.  "There there, that’s my big boy…  Now…  What do you want for your birthday?  A toy?  A movie?  Maybe a new video game?" she says excitedly, smacking her lips and admiring her beauty._

_He stops for a minute, returning his gaze outside.  "Um…  Can we go to the zoo?  Just you and me?  That’d be-"_

_Mrs. Demarais laughs.  "Oh darling, zoos are so stinky and boring!  Why not choose something more FUN!  Something you and Brandon would REALLY love!" she exclaims._

_Though for a second, she stops and swings around quickly.  “You and Mr. Farmahini’s son are still getting along, right?  You promised mommy you two would be best friend, remember?  You two might be brothers someday!" she exclaims, giddy at the very thought of it._

_Chris frowns.  "Then…  Can I go with you somewhere?  When I’m not at school?  I don’t care where, I just-"_

_She sighs.  "Oh Chris…  Sweetheart, mommy works all week long to make lots of money!  Mommy needs her ME time with Mr. Farmahini.  I’m so sorry, someday when I’m not so busy…" she says, not paying him any mind.  Walking back into the hallway, the conversation is clearly ended._

_But as he makes his way back to the window, The front door swings open, and Brandon rushes in._

_"CHRIS!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" he screams, rushing over to him happily.  He hands him a box, and Chris smiles.  "Thank you Brandon!" he says, hugging his friend happily._

_"What a lovely scene.  I’m so glad you two work together so well…" says a man’s dark voice.  Entering the room was Brandon’s Daddy, Mr. Farmahini.  He was tall, and looked a lot like his son, but with much nicer clothes._

_Brandon’s daddy and his mommy were “dating", and loved each other.  So while they went on dates, he and Brandon got to play a lot.  But..  They also didn’t get to see them very often, since they worked all the time too._

_"Thank you Mr. Farmahini." Chris says politely, remembering his mother’s insistence that he be nice to the man._

_The man nods, giving a big smile the boy.  Though the interaction is short-lived, as Mrs. Demarais walked in the room.  His attention turned to her immediately.  As the two started making kiss faces, Chris turns away and returns to his original spot, ignoring Brandon’s icky looking face._

_With Mr. Farmahini there, Mommy wouldn’t talk to Chris anymore anyway.  So…  He’d just wait for Gavin to come._

_He might come.._

_Might._

_Maybe._

____________________

Tex had an unusually perky hop in her step that morning.  Maybe it was that they’d arrived at the airport so early that morning they’d bypassed half the usual routine without any long lines.  Maybe it was because she LOVED Halloween, and the thought of a big party full of potential acting jobs was exciting!  Or maybe it was because Burnie was flying them first class for once in his cheap-ass life.

_Flight 234 to Austin, Texas now has a two hour delay.  I repeat.  Flight 234 to Austin, Texas now has a two hour delay._

Whatever hop was in her step ceases immediately, and she spins around quickly.  

Looking straight into Burnie’s eyes, her face becomes broken in half a second.  "Hey..  That’s not…  Our flight is it?  Aren’t we 234?  We’re going to Dallas…  Right?  BURNIE." she says, making her way quickly to his side.  

The man pushes Monty in front of him, using the poor man as a human shield. 

"Now Tex…  I can explain!  I was going to tell you BEFORE we boarded and give you a chance to decide on your own, I’m not THAT much of a douche-bag, this just sort of…  Popped it sooner than I wanted…." he says, 

She pushes Monty out of her way and looks him seriously in the eyes.  "Then explain Burnie.  EXPLAIN IT TO ME NOW." she yells, gathering attention from some nearby travelers.  

Burnie gives her a solemn look.  "Look…  A long time ago you asked me to keep a promise.  A promise to watch over Geoff and tell you when I think you can come back.  A time where he’s found his own life.  Today, I’m keeping that promise." he mutters, putting a firm hand on her shoulder and grasping it.

"Griffon Anderson…  It’s time you come home.  And see for yourself the boy you forced into becoming a man." he says, staring her directly in the eyes.  It’s fierce, truthful, and a look she knew was Burnie Burns telling the truth.

Taking a deep breathe, she looks at the floor.  "I…  I…" she stutters, unsure of how to proceed.

—————————

Barbara sat in her office, tapping her fingers anxiously.  Each tick of her wall clock was excruciatingly loud, echoing throughout the empty hallways.  The agency was quiet, with only the occasional phone call breaking the silence.  Staring into space, she stared furiously into the clock.  "Move faster dammit…  I want my half day…" she uttered, huffing impatiently.  It was barely ten AM, and already her work had been completed for the day. 

Wiping the bags under her eyes, she yawned loudly, outstretching her hands.

"Based on your time sheet and request for a half a day off, I see your all nigher went well.  Have a big night planned or something tonight?  You usually make yourself more rested than this!" Gus chuckles.

Opening her eyes back up, Gus is standing at her door, a small file under his arm.

Barbara smiles.  "I’m going to the HomeHunters tonight.  The kids are going trick or treating, and Kara asked me to come by and see the kids all dressed up.  She wants pictures, and I have a shitty little camera that probably works well enough.  So, I’m gonna head that way tonight, maybe get a little early for pre-photos.  I wanna talk to Geoff to, discuss Jack’s…  Well, use of Caiti as an employee of theirs." she says happily, snickering at the comment.  

Gus’ face beams.  "GREAT!  Then would you mind taking this by for me and handing it to Geoff?  He asked for it a couple weeks back, I just got it out of storage." he mutters, walking over and plopping it on her desk.  In bold letters emblazon on the tab is written “Free, Gavin - Receiving Report".  

Picking it up, she gives it a concerned look.  "Is everything ok with Gavin?  I thought I was still acting as his-"

He waves his hands in front of his face.  "Barbie, relax, I’d  tell you if you were doing a shitty job or we re-assigned him.  Geoff just asked that I grab the stuff on when we first processed Gavin into the system.  He needs the police reports from both accidents in the kid’s family, and we have both on file that he could get access to easily." he remarks.

Barbara’s face relaxes, and she flips through it.  It’s small, there hadn’t originally been much to Gavin Free.  "So..  What’s he need it for?  From what I’m seeing, Gavin has been doing fine lately.  Even better since that Cameron kid came back.  Why would he need this?" she wonders aloud.

Gus shakes his head.  "Geoff says the Cameron kid is hiring a private investigator to look into who killed Isaac Free and asked for his help in the matter.  The boy’s parents were in such hysterics that they didn’t bother doing much of anything from what I understand.  So I’m guessing he just wants peace of mind for both him and Gavin, and justice for the poor kid.  It’s been a while though…  So who knows if they’ll find anything, but you know technology these days..  It’s pretty amazing what they can find!" he mutters, turning his way out of the office.

She places the case file into her bag at her feet, patting it confidently.  

 _I_   _hope they find the bastard._

Gus turns back around.  "Oh!  Hey, you said you needed a camera?  I’ve got a really nice one at home!  Want me to bring it by after work?  I can show you guys how to use it, it’s not that hard." he says happily.  

Barbara smiles.  "That’s be great!  Thank you Gus!  You’re such a sweetheart!"

—————————

Austin was a fairly large city, and had a plethora of fine dining establishments.  Deciding to go for something nice (yet casual), Geoff had brought Tex to Chez Zee on Burnie’s own dime.  Because to hell if he was going to waste money doing something against his will.  

An American bistro, it had a fancy set up with nice tables covered in beautiful white linens.  Even in the early afternoon, the place was lit up with sparkling lights hanging from the walls that gave an almost diamond-like appearance.  But they had been seated in the courtyard with the dozen or so other “couples" tables in the open air. Geoff glimpsed many a happy couples staring longingly at each other. Hands were held, quick kisses were exchanged, and laughter was had.  Quite the romantic scene if one were here for that sort of thing.  It made for quite the awkward situation between two people who had never met before.

Across from him at their tiny table was the woman Burnie had described as a “spitfire" with a heart of gold.  A beauty that knew no equal, and a deep mind that appreciated many wonderful things in the world.  

Clearing his throat, he attempted to get her attention once more.  "So..  Uh…  Tex…  What do you do for fun when you’re not…  Uh..  Talking into a microphone?"

The woman shrugs.  "I’m a purveyor of the finest of arts, and enjoy things like museums I suppose.  Though I rarely have (she coughs) free time." she mutters in a very..  French?  Or was that British?  A bit or Russian?  Frinishian?  Either way, she was rubbing her throat and drinking lots of water.  Whatever she was doing with that phony accent, it was clearly a strain on herself.  

_Not to mention how irritating it is…_

Looking her over in more detail, Geoff still couldn’t even make out her face for the big sunglasses covering it.  Her pink hair was cute, he liked people who had the courage to pull stuff like that off.  And her fashion was pretty trendy, in a great long-sleeve leather green jacket.  But that was about all he could make out of her.  Tex was…  Fairly reserved.  

Silence once again surrounds them, as Tex does nothing to add to the conversation.  Geoff was the only one talking, and eventually he just gave up.  Tapping his fingers against the table, he stared intently at a light fixture.    

_Ok, fuck this._

"Let’s cut the bullshit.” he says in a rather curt tone.

The woman cringes a bit, staring at him painfully through her shades, and clenching her purse tightly. “Oh..  Uh…” she stutters.  

Geoff sighs.  “Listen, you’re probably a nice woman and all, but I’m not really looking for a relationship right now.  I don’t know how much Burnie told you about me, but I’m a father of four boys and caretaker to a fifth. The absolute last thing on my mind right now is to be dating or being in a relationship.  My  **ONLY**  focus right now is making sure they grow up ok, and making sure my business doesn’t collapse from underneath me, and find time for myself here and there.  I’m here because he asked me to be here, and made me a deal about my kids.  So, honestly it’s not fair to you to be forced into this, so if you want to leave, you’re not going to hurt my feelings.   At all.  I understand.  Plus, I realize I’m not everyone’s type, I’m kind of an asshole.” he says, breathing a sigh of relief as he gets it off his chest.  

He can feel her staring at him like he’s an idiot, but he just rubs his forehead in frustration.

"I…  I’d like to stay…  If you don’t mind.  Umm…   I dont’ have anything better to do with my time." she stutters, her voice lacking the eloquence it had earlier.

Geoff looked up, his face in shock.  

_Huh?_

Sitting firmly, Tex stares him down.  "Why don’t…  Why don’t you just tell me more about this charity of yours!  Or your sons!  You seem more passionate about that then…  The bad blind date conversations, and I’m sure they’re far more stimulating as well…." she says, her snooty tone re-rearing its ugly head.  

Rolling his eyes, Geoff rests his head on his hands.  "Oh?  And this coming from little Miss Talks a Lot?  At least I TRIED." he says, the two of them chuckling at each other.  

"Well…  It all started a couple of years ago, when my buddy Carter Reed-"

~

As she first walked into the restaurant, her face had been firm, angry and unmoving.  Memories of Burnie’s little “speech" earlier that morning still burned in her memory, and she can’t believe how he talked her into coming AND going to lunch with Geoff.  And as she was dropped off and left, the realization came that she would be doing this ALONE.    

Then as Geoff attempted to make conversation, she kept her hands firmly attached to her purse, her feet ready to bolt.  Thankfully, her old love didn’t recognize her.  Then again, her voice was nothing short of the most offensive thing in the world she could manage, and she hadn’t seen him in over a decade.  So…  She’d be hard to spot.

And just as her heart couldn’t possibly take anymore…  Geoff started talking about his kids.  

His face lit up in a way she’d never seen out of him before.  He was SMILING, actually SMILING.  Geoff’s arms moved exaggeratedly, and he talked about his friends from work as though they were people he had known his entire life.  He was energetic, full of life, and someone she’d honestly never met before.  

"So then it was like the VERY last day of summer, and we took all the kids to the pool.  It was a slow day, so it was just us and the kids there.  So anyway, me, Michael, Gavin and Ray were just minding our own damn business playing with water guns.  Then, out of freaking NOWHERE, my asshole brother Jack and my oldest kid Ryan JUMP out of the bottom of the water in these RIDICULOUS shark heads, screaming “SHAAAARK ATTTAACCK"! Scared the fucking hell out of all of us!  So we’re all splashing at them angrily and I’m basically just sitting on Jack’s head, but Ray can’t even freaking swim, so he’s just hyperventilating in this pink inflatable tube, throwing water at them.  Needless to say…  We got kicked out." he says, laughing, rubbing tears away from his eyes.  

Griffon smiles, just staring at him happily, watching him talk.  

~

_Griffon frowned, just staring at him sadly, watching him mope._

_In the busy cafeteria, Geoff was sitting alone and without a tray across from Griffon, Jack and Elena.  His arms were crossed, eyes bearing down on anyone that got near them.  Not that anybody did, most people avoided the four of them like that plague, including teachers._

_"Well..  Good to see Mr. Sunshine is as happy as ever." Elena comments, taking another bite of her food._

_Jack chuckles.  "Yeah, well some poor sap thought he’d be all tough and try to ambush Geoff outside the Orphanage before school with his thugs..  Take away Mr. Tough Guy’s title as resident badass." he says, rolling his eye in irritation._

_She turns her head from Jack, and stares straight into Geoff’s eyes.  "GEOFF!  Why didn’t you tell me?  Is that why you were late this morning to class?  Are you ok?  Did they hurt you?" she asks wildly.  Her face is plummeting, eyes quickly going over the length of his body, trying to spot for bruises or cuts._

_Geoff shrugs.  "It’s fine.  I run faster than them.  But I had to take a detour this morning because of it.  Not that it matters, I’m failing English anyway.  I didn’t miss much." he mutters, turning his face away from her.  His expression is bland, lifeless and dark._

_Sighing, she looks down at her plate.  "I thought you said you were going to at least try…  Mrs. Thompson gave you all that extra work to catch up…" she mutters painfully._

_Laying his head down on the table, Geoff shrugs, closing his eyes.  "Why should I bother?  I seriously don’t care about anything but me turning eighteen this winter and dropping out Griffy.  Then I’ll get a job and maybe not make your life suck anymore.  We can move out of that shitty hellhole, and you can go to college.  Or do your art or acting stuff.  Whatever you want.  I don’t care how hard I have to work for it…" he mutters._

_She takes a deep breath, exhaling calmly.  "But…  What about you?  Your life?  Don’t you want your own life to live?  Do something with it?"_

_Geoff opens his eyes, and stares directly at her.  His deep blue eyes don’t falter, staring at her lovingly.  "You are my life Griffy…" he states in an adoring fashion._

_Whatever warm intention that statement was meant to have completely bypasses her.  Her heart pangs, and she can’t help but look away from the man in cringing pain._

_"GUYS!  I GOT IN!  THE FILM SCHOOL!  HOLY HELL I GOT IN!  I’m heading to California this summer!!  WOO HOO!" Burnie exclaims wildly, slamming his tray on the table and sitting next to Geoff. Her friends offer him a hearty congratulations, and she ties her best to smile._

_"That’s wonderful Burnie.  I’m glad…  I’m glad for you.." she attempts in a half forced tone._

~

"…..So I think if we play our cards right with this intern/school like thing Caiti’s working on, HomeHunters might be able to work on a less professional level!  So even people like you could you have your own kid if you wanted, and know how to best treat them!  Kind of like a foster system that doesn’t suck balls, and people actually have money for their kids and life.  And it’s be for people who ACTUALLY wanted kids, since they have to go through like a whole year of schooling." he says eagerly.  His eyes are so wild and excited, and his words are full of energy.    

Griffon smiles, adjusting her glasses against her nose.  Wearing them all day was quite an ordeal, and her heavy jacket was causing her to perspire.  "That’s wonderful Geoff!  I’m so glad for you!" she exclaims happily, patting the man on the back as they walked out of the restaurant.  

After finishing their meal, and having an in-depth conversation, her face was an immovable smile.  Geoff was happy.  Jack was happy.  Elena had a son and was happy.  Four children just like they used to be were happy.  Some boy with a shitty father was happy.

_I wonder how many others are happy.  Happy because…  I’m not here.  Because I left._

Standing outside the street, she see Geoff still standing by her.  Turning her head curiously, she gives him a confused expression.  

"Um…  I can get a cab from here.  But thank you for lunch, it was lovely!" she says, extending her hand out.  

Goeff takes her hand, and shakes it firmly.  The first form of contact she’d had with them man since she left.  Sparks flew through her hands, and she bit her lip.  

_Don’t… Don’t say anything…  It’s better this way Griffon.  He’s happy.  Those kids are happy.  Don’t ruin this!  If he knew…  He might…  He might…  Do it again…._

"I had a great time too.  Sorry Burnie led you on like that, I’ll kick his ass for you.  But hey, it was great talking to you.  Feel free to stop by the house later tonight with him if you want.  If you do voice acting in his stuff, oldest boy and his friends might love to meet you." he says, releasing his grasp from her.  

Griffon curls her fingers into the hand, capturing the warmth that remained.  "I..  I’ll see if I can make it.  Thank you Geoff, it was…  Good to see you ag-…  Good to meet you.  You’re a lovely man." she says, turning away from him and walking in the opposite direction.  

_His life is so much better without you.  Don’t be selfish.   There’s more people in this world to think about than yourself.  And…  He’s done so much for you already._

____________

Excited voices of children rang throughout the home, and Kara was holding an incredibly excited Lindsay in her lap.  As the child was sitting upon a tall chair in their kitchen, she was looking at one of Gavin’s books splayed out next to her on the counter. Kara was straightening the girl’s hair as best she should, putting pins here and there as mental notes.  It would have been far easier to utilize the bathroom, but Joel had already taken up refuge with Dan in there, and Lindsay was eager to start.    

A worried glance is flung upon Lindsay’s face, almost in a little pout.  "Mama, am I really gonna look just like Ruby?  Cuz she’s SO cute and funny, and I wanna look JUST like her…" the child remarks, fidgeting on the tall chair.  Looking into the living room from above Lindsay’s head, Kara could see Courtney and Ray were sat next to each other, playing a game on the television.  Though their glances kept shooting to the plastic clock adorning the wall.  It was still hours before they would all leave for trick or treating, and it showed.

_Kids will be kids…_

Kara chuckled, moving the hot iron in rthymn to the constantly moving child, avoiding contact with her skin.  "Of course sweetheart.  But you’re already as cute and funny as her!  So we really don’t even HAVE to do your hair up you big cutie!   This is just a bonus!  Oh, and cuz Daddy Joel is scary happy today, and we do what he says!" she replies in a sing-song tone, a fond smile washing over her face.

Lindsay’s face lights up.  "REALLY?  You think I’m pretty!?  Cuz you’re REALLY pretty Mama!  I wish I had bright  hair like yours, mine’s all dark and sad looking…" she states in a defeated tone.  Her gaze turns to Courtney, and Kara  

Letting out a DEEPLY shocked gasp of air, the child turns to her in worry.  Clutching her neck, Kara’s expression becomes overly dramatized.  "LINDSAY!  How cruel!  Don’t you know how BEAUTIFUL auburn brown hair is?  Why, it’s the color of the leaves as they change in autumn!  It’s the color of the sky when it’s at its most lovely, just before the moon and the stars come out!  Why..  Your hair isn’t sad looking at all!  In fact, it’s one of the most beautiful I’ve ever had the pleasure of working on!" she states, bowing gracefully to emphasize her statement.

She smiles.  "Thanks Mama!  I-"

The child is interrupted as the doorbell to their house rings.  Putting the hot iron down on the stovetop, she pats Lindsay on the shoulder.  "Be right back, let me just go see who that is…" she mutters, walking over to their door.  

Opening it up, she sees an older looking woman standing before her.  With speckled grey hair, a skinny figure, and a fair share of wrinkles over her face, she looked very grandmotherly.

"Oh good morning Miss!  My name is Amanda Heyman!  I am hoping I’ve got the right house and that I’m not disturbing you, but is my son Joel here?  I’ve-" she states, Kara’s mouth gaping as the words sink in. 

"MOM!" exclaims an excited Joel, making his way from the hallway.  Moving out of her way, Kara allows the woman entrance into their home, and the mother and son embrace each other tightly.  Seeing the look of relief on Joel’s face, the look of pure glee in Amanda’s hurried movement, and they way the two clung to each other?   Kara’s heart fluttered, and she leaned back against the door frame, taking in the loving display.  

Finally releasing his mother with a firm pat on her back, a tear runs down Joel’s face, and he wipes it away quickly.  Sniffing, he shakes his head.  "WELL.  Now that our regularly scheduled cuddle fest is complete for this fine day, what brings you out here?  I didn’t think you were coming back un…  Until…."

Amanda chuckles.  "Oh sweetheart, I got your letter about my new grandchildren, and I just HAD to come see the precious little darlings!  Where are-"

Poking his head out of the hallway was Dan.  The boy was in a stained white T-shirt, hair hair glistening wet with bright red coloring.  "Dad?  Who was-

"AWW!  THIS MUST BE LITTLE DANIEL!" she exclaims, pushing past her son and grabbing the boy from the floor and into her arms.  Hugging him with all her strength, the boy’s face is shocked, full of uncertainty as to what exactly was going on.

Kara snorts as the boy gives her and Joel looks of desperation.  Her partner makes his way over to the scene, patting Dan on the back.  "Dan, this is my mom Amanda, so she’s your grandma!  And I’m sure she’s going to absolutely ruin her nice shirt with the hair spray that’s on your old shirt." he mutters, getting a comical reaction from Amanda.  Putting the boy down, sure enough, her pale green blouse is covered in little spots of red.  

Dan gives her a look of concern.  "S..sorry… " he stutters, his eyes hung to the floor in shame.

But the older woman just shrugs it off.  "Oh well, it’s just a shirt, who cares!  Where’s my other grandkids?!  I wanna meet them all!" she says, looking around anxiously.  

From the couch, Courtney ducks her head behind Ray.  The two had been watching curiously, unsure of what to make of Amanda, and were now in hiding.

"COUCH!  TWO O’CLOCK!  THE BLONDE!" Kara shouts, earning her a very dirty look from Courtney.  

There is no hesitation as she makes her way over, staring at the girl eagerly.  Ray is in a defensive stance, blocking her from oncoming attacks.  

"Now…  Who is this find young man?  Did you adopt another child between letters Joel?  He looks so handsome!" she comments, earning a quick blush from the boy.  

Joel shakes his head.  "No mom, that’s Ray.  He lives next door, and he’s Courtney’s friend.  We’re good friends with the neighbors, and we send our kids back and forth.  They’re all in the same class together, so they know each other from school too." 

Extending her hand, Amanda stares directly at Ray.  "Well it’s such a pleasure to meet such a fine young man.  And I’m even happier to meet you Courtney!  Your Daddy says you love flowers and have a pretty garden outside that you take care of ALL by yourself!  I can’t wait to get to know you better, you sound like such a lovely young woman." she remarks cheerfully.

Taking her outstretched hand, Ray shakes it and begins to relax.  "Nice to meet you Courtney’s Grandma!  You’re nice, I like you." he says plainly, moving aside as he releases her grasp.

Courtney comes out from hiding from behind Ray, and gives the woman a hug, careful to avoid the sticky stains.  It’s short, but Amanda’s face is softly smiling again.

"Hi…  Grandma.." she says shyly.  Backing away from Amanda, she doesn’t say much else.  Much like Dan, she’s staring at her feet, unsure of how to continue the conversation.

The woman doesn’t seem to mind.  Standing back up, she cracks her back and begins looking around.  "And…  I guess that just leaves…." she mutters.  

Her face’s previous smile weakens, forming an almost-frown.  Amanda’s breathing becomes heavier, and she begins clawing at the back of her hand in a nervous manner.  

Hopping off the chair she had been seated in, Lindsay walks from out of the kitchen and towards her father.  Her face is perplexed, staring at the woman in interest.  "Jay…  Is she your mommy?" she remarks, taking him by the hand.  

Joel nods, closing his eyes.  "Yes Lindsay.  This is my mommy, and your grandma.  Mom…  This is..  This is Lindsay." he says in a strained voice.  One Kara didn’t recognize as his own.

Amanda gasps, bringing her hand to her mouth immediately.  She grips her chin so tightly that the skin becomes flushed with a deep red. Her eyes begin to water, and is breathing loudly through her nose.  Her body is trembling, but the woman composes her self quickly.   

Kara looks at the woman, tilting her head to the side.

_Why does she look so upset?  Did Joel tell her about Lindsay’s parents or something?  Maybe…  He’d probably trust his mother enough with something like that, unlike me…  They certainly look like they love each other.  It must..  It must be nice….  Having that unconditional love.._

The older woman makes her way towards Joel and Lindsay and can’t take her eyes off the child.  Lindsay doesn’t hide, but relaxes her face, gripping her father’s hand more tightly.  "Grandma..  How come you look so sad?  Don’t you want to see me?  You liked Dan and Courtney.  You like me too…  Right?" she asks, in a tone of frightneing concern.  Her little face is worried. Releasing Joel’s hand, she walks up towards her. 

Amanda lets out a small sob, and gently positions herself onto her knees.  Pulling the girl into a hug, it’s as tight and as loving as her display had been with Joel.  Lindsay smiles happily as she is given tenfold the attention of the other two.  

"Oh of course I like you!  I love ALL of you already!  I can’t wait to spoil you all to pieces!  Oh…  Sweetheart, you look just like her." she says loudly.  Joel turns his face away from the rest of the family, pretending to scratch his nose.

Kara’s questioning look is interrupted as Dan pulls on her shirt.  Looking down at his punked up red hair, she sees a questioning look of his own.  "Kara..  Do we get a grandma from you too?" he asks ever so innocently.

Her face falls, and she takes Dan by the hand.  "I do sweetheart…  But…  Um…"

~

_(Kara, Age 13)_

_Kara’s home was furnished with plain tan couches, dark brown tables, spotless white carpeting, and beige colored walls.  Devoid of any color in the entirety of the house, even Kara’s clothes are drab in color.  A white blouse and tan capris.  Her hair was long, down the length of her back, straightened immaculately.  Not a hair was out of pace._

_Sitting in silence at their dinner table with her parents, silence fills the air.  No words are spoken, only the gentle clinking of silverware hitting the glass plates making any noise in entire home._

_Kara’s father was a dark haired man with a very serious expression.  In a sweater-vest  he looked every bit the part of a college professor.  Her mother was a very formal looking woman, in an elegant dress.  Her hair was long and blonde, down to her shoulder-blades.  Everything about them both was just…  Very proper._

_Taking a deep breath, Kara exhales.  Gripping her fork as hard as her hand would allow, she turned her attention directly at her mother.  "Mother..  I’d like to cut my hair.  It’s really hot outside, and it’d be a lot cooler on me.  Would that be ok?" she asks sheepishly, breaking the silence in the house._

_Kara’s mother doesn’t take her gaze away from her plate, still cutting into a piece of dry chicken.  "Absolutely not.  Your hair would look terrible in a short-cut, trust me.  I’ve done it, it was absolutely awful." she remarks, spearing the now cut meat with her fork.  Popping it into her mouth, she chews silently._

_She lets out a deep breath.  "Yes mother." she replies, turning her attention back to her own plate, thinking nothing else of the conversation._

_After all, it was already over._

_~_

_Kara (Age 15)_

_Standing outside her home, Kara was holding hands with a boy.  They’d met after school during a club activity several weeks prior, and she had brought him home for dinner as a friend._

_A…  Friend.  Just a friend.  As far as her parents were concerned._

_Austin Hardwicke was a year older than her, and stood about a foot taller.  Looking up, she stared intently at the cute little way he punked up his hair, with a tiny little pink streak dyed in the front.  He had an adorable length of stubble around his face, and attempted to make a beard as best he could.  Which was to say he couldn’t, but his attempt was charming.  Then, with his little cocky grin, he clenched her hand, and she clenched back._

_"Well, i think that went very well.  Your parents were really polite, I was glad to meet them.  Hopefully I made a good impression." he remarks nervously, but smiling happily._

_Kara nodded.  "Well, either way, I’m glad you came.  Maybe someday they’ll let me date for real.  Thanks for putting up with me, I know it’s got to be crazy…" she remarks, turning her gaze downward.  Staring at his neon green shoes, the color contrasted so vibrantly from her own basic white shoes._

_Austin smiled.  "Nah, you’re not crazy.   Even if things don’t work out, or your parents don’t like me, I’d be happy being friends.  You’re such a nice person Kara, I’m glad to have you in my life…  Anyway, I’ll see you at school.  Have a good night!" he remarks embarrassingly, releasing her grip and making his way towards his beat-up looking Chevy Blazer.  Her hand begins feeling incredibly cold, so she made her way back into the house, closing the door behind her._

_"Oh thank goodness that hoodlum is gone.  KARA, what were you THINKING bringing someone like that home for dinner!  I would have kicked him out immediately if I wasn’t such an honorable man!" her father loudly exclaims, giving her a stern look._

_Her face is puzzled, and she turns away from his face.  "He’s not a hoodlum dad, Austin is-"_

_"Kara, darling, did you not SEE that hair?  Those shoes?  That shabby car he drove?  Oh goodness, stay away from him sweetheart, he’s bad news.  Don’t let yourself be influenced by such people, they’re beneath you." her mother remarks, picking up plates from the dining room table._

_Clenching her fist into a ball, she hides it behind her back.  "Mother…  Father, just get to know Austin a little better.  He’s such a kind-"_

_They both ignore her completely, still speaking only to each other._

_"Jospeh, did you hear him talk about that animation dribble?  How droll.  As if that would ever make for a lucrative career.  It is such a shame to see so many young people go down such terrible paths in life.  Does his parents even CARE about his income?  Horrible…  Just horrible.  Some people just are not meant to be caretakers to children, it upsets me to no end." her mother says in a tone of pity.  Gathering the last of the plates, her mother exits the room, followed in tow by her father._

_Releasing her fist, her hand relaxes.  Despite the blood having shot to it in the grip, it was icy cold._

_"Y..Yes mother…"_

_~_

_(Kara, Age 18)_

_Kara had missed three days of school after Mishi’s…  "Accident", as their school counselor put it._

_Sitting in her living room, the television set roared loudly with some children’s progarm of sorts.  Neither were watching it, both focusing on Mishi’s little brother.  Sitting there, the boy had stared at the television set the entire day.  Unmoving, unflinching, looking at it through his solid yellow glasses in a dazed expression._

_He was seven years old, another adopted child of the Collins family.  With his darker complexion and mannerisms, he looke  His name was..  Carver?  Carter?  Craig?  Something with a C…  He hadn’t spoken the entire day, so they’d never gotten to know him besides the brief introduction that morning.  Mishi never talked about home, and especially never mentioned having a little brother.  So it came as a shock when her parents asked if they could watch him while they tended to funeral arrangements._

_Not that they minded.  On the contrary, they’d do anything for them._

_Clearing her throat, Kara managed to get a small reaction from him.  "So.  Um…  Are you ok?  If you want to talk about it…  Barbie and I are here if you want to talk about it…I know you don’t really know us, since you just moved here from down south a few weeks ago, but…  We’re still here.  If…  You need to talk."_

_The boy shrugged.  "I’m ok.  Mommy and Daddy Garcia left me too.  Grandma Garcia left.  Auntie Lopez didn’t want me.  Sissy left.  Everyone leaves me.  That’s just what happens to me.  But it’s ok…  They’ll find me a new home.  They always do." he responds coldly, in a matter-of-factly way.  His face is stoic, cold, still staring painfully at the television set._

_Kara put her head down.  She dug her long nails into her leg, thousands of thoughts running through her head.  But her mouth remains shut._

_I…  I don’t know what to say…  What CAN I say?  I don’t even know this child.  I’ll probably never see him again after this…    What…  What CAN I say?_

_The door to Kara’s living room swings open loudly, breaking the sad silence.  In its frame, Kara’s mother is beaming ear to ear.  "Sweetheart!  IT’S HERE!  YOU DID IT!" she says, holding what looked an opened college letter._

_Looking at the paper in her hand, Kara sighed.  "Mother, we need to-"_

_"JUST THINK ABOUT IT!  Oh, so many possibilities for you now…  We’re thinking  you would be a great lawyer.  Maybe a businesswoman…  Doctoring is so messy and time consuming, but such a prestigious title..  Oh, but any of those would be fantastic…  Your father and I want grandchildren too you know, and you’ll never catch a man without a little bait!  Oh, but then we-"_

_A firm palm crosses her shoulder, and holds it tightly.  Turning to her side, Barbara nods her head.  "You can do it.  Remember…  What me and my folks said.  It’s ok.  Don’t..  Don’t let it eat you up like it did Mishi, ok?" she whispers.  Barbie’s voice was barely audible over her mother’s constant gushing._

_With that single nod from her friend, strength fills her lungs, and courage lines her heart._

_"MOTHER!" Kara screams loudly as she stands from the couch.  The outburst grants her full attention at last._

_Her face scrunches, looking clearly irritated.  "Kara, don’t speak to your mother like that.  Its ru-"_

_Shaking her head, she stares directly at her mother with intense eyes.  "No.  PLEASE listen to me.  I am not going to Princeton.  I made a decision this week.  Both Barbie and I have.  We’re going through with it too.  This is MY future, and I’m going to do with it what I want to do." she says firmly._

_Her mother’s face freezes.  The woman’s chest stops rising, and there is a nervous twitch in her arms.  "Oh?" she responds in a dark tone._

_Kara takes another deep breath, and closes her eyes for just a few moments.  Shooting her eyes open, she focuses them clearly into her mother’s  "I’m going to go to school with Barbie.  Here, in Austin.  I’ve already been accepted and have a scholarship.  I’m going to get a degree in psychology.  Or something.  Then I’m going to be a social worker.  We both agreed on it.  We don’t want what happened to Misha Collins happen to anyone ever again.  At least as far as the two of us are concerned." she states firmly._

_Below her, the small boy of seven looks up, his eyes wide in amazement.  His skin is chilled from the passion in the words she is speaking.  The strength in them, the delivery, all of it.  His admiration, however, is short lived as a cackling laugh erupts from Kara’s mother._

_Covering her face, still in a small fit of laughter, the woman gives her daughter an incredulous look.  "Oh Kara, is that all?  Please, don’t be so demented.  These feelings you have now will pass soon, and you’ll forget all about this.  Trust me, you’ll get over Misha.  Don’t let that pathetic girl’s lack of will corrupt you.  That girl is-"_

_"DON’T YOU DARE MOTHER!  YOU SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT ABOUT ME, BUT DON’T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT MISHA LIKE THAT." she screams angrily.  Her mother’s mouth drops, a color of red enveloping her face.  The woman’s eyebrows crease into the bridge of her nose, and a furious look overtakes her eyes._

_"Kara Eberle.  Go to your room immediately.  You are not going to college to throw your life away as some stupid social worker because of some stupid little girl.  You are going to be something of WORTH to our family, and that is that.  If you don’t agree with that, then you can just leave our house.  You’re an adult.  See if I care if you want to try the real world on your own.  It’s not as glamorous as you think it is.  Your mother knows what is best for you, and I will not under any circumstances let you do this." she states firmly.  The venom in her voice is painful, and a cringe overtakes the hearts of those in the room._

_After a few moments of silence, Kara walks in the general direction of her mother._

_"KARA!" Barbara screams anxiously.  Her friend is walking slowly away, away from everything, her head hung low._

_The little boy stands up, taking cover behind Barbara.  He watches as the big girl walks out of the room, and his tiny face falls.  Burning his face into the other girl’s pants, he frowns._

_Kara’s mother stares hatefully in the direction of Barbara and the small boy.  "I think you two should leave now.  And please don’t re-"_

_Firm steps echo back from the room that Kara had just exited to.  Slung over her shoulder is a small bag, and in her hand was a pair of scissors.  The boy looked at her again, smiling.  Her face was bright and very strong._

_"Well mother, then I think I’ll take you up on that.  The real world is probably far better than living like I am now under this roof.  Having every part of it dictated for myself.  I love you and Daddy so much, and I know you love me too.  You just want what’s best for me, and thank you for caring so much.  I would have never been the smart individual I am without you two guiding me.  But…  I’ve got to go on my own too.  Otherwise…  Life’s just not worth living. " Kara says, grinning as big as she could._

_Barbara smiles, picking up the small child from the floor, and hefting him into her chest.  He turns quickly back around, looking at Kara intently.  As if he didn’t want to miss a moment of while she was speaking.._

_Pulling her long hair into the front of her body, she smiles at her mother.  "Thank you mom…  For everything." she remarks.  taking the scissors, she applies them at neck length.  In a single swooping motion, the length of her hair from her neck to her bottom fell to the floor.  In a dramatic swish, air flows through her light blonde hair, allowing it to fall gracefully on the floor._

_Stepping over the hair that now littered the floor, she smiles in the direction of Barbara and the small boy.  "Come on.  Let’s go Barbie and….  Kid.  I feel better!" she says quirky, ignoring the various protests of her mother now stammering loudly beside her._

_The boy blushes, burying his head into Barbara’s shoulders._

_"It’s not kid…" he mutters quietly, out of their range of hearing._

-

While Kara worked on finishing Lindsay’s hair on the living room couch, she listened intently at the stories that “Grandma Heyman" (as she insisted she be called to Kara’s utter amusement) told.  Joel’s first embarrassing kiss at fourteen on the front door of their apartments, where everyone in the complex clapped afterwards, whistling and verbal compliments included.  A story where he and his friend Gus brought a snake home as kids and tried to scare her, only to have it take a “scary doodie" on Joel’s bed.  Then there was the one where he and a lady friend of his mother’s called Margaret would have food fights in the house, messing it ALL up.     

The kids looked at her eagerly, hanging onto every word, laughing at Joel’s expense.    The man, surprisingly, took the insults well as he ironed out the last of the costumes.  

"Dan, I think I’ve got yours all ready.  Wanna go change into it?  Then you can grab your play sword and go fight Mogar." he says, raising his eyebrows in a comical manner.  

The boy jumps off from the couch and races to Joel, grabbing the clothes and then running off to his room.  With a loud slam of the door, he begins to change loudly.

Amanda chuckles.  "Well, I’m glad to see you’re still as good as ever with that machine.  These costumes are adorable!  But I’m not really…  Um…  Sure what they are, sorry." she remarks, turning her attention back to the girls.  

On Kara’s lap was Lindsay.  She was in a black and red skirt, adorned with little silver crosses here and there.  There was a black long-sleeve shirt for her top, and it was all covered by a big red scarf that was roughly the length of her body.  Topping it off was a pair of long black books and red laces tying them up.  At Lindsay’s insistence, she’d cut and styled her hair, trying to match the book’s character as close as possible.  Which was difficult, but she’d come at least moderately close, sans the exact color.  

Lindsay smiled.  "Grandma, I’m RUBY.  She’s a good guy in my friend Gavin’s story book, and when we play pretend, I always get to play Ruby!" she explains happily, smiling.  

Amanda smiles.  "Oh!  Well, I’ll have to see this book sometime.  And who is Courtney?" she asks, turning her face to the other small child sharing the couch.

Courtney, by contrast, looked more like a mix between a cowgirl, boxer and cheerleader.  In a black pair of shorts combined with long black leggings down the length of her legs, they met a pair of golden socks that were asymmetrical in length.  Covering a bright yellow T-shirt was a brown leather overcoat and matching belt accessory.  Around her neck was a scarf that matched the socks, and her fists were in black leather gloves.

Smiling happily, Courtney stands up.  "I’m YANG!  She’s a good guy and Ruby’s sister, so I get to play her when we play pretend.  My friend Ray is Junior, so he tries to pretend kiss me, and then I beat him up!  WITH MY FISTS!" she says playfully, pumping her fists in and out.  

Grandma Heyman’s eyes widen, and she gets a big laugh out of her system.  "Oh!  Well, good!  You should do that anyway if boys try and kiss you.  Get em’ real good!  ESPECIALLY Ray, he looks like the dangerous type to me." she says, giving her a thumbs up, and a wink in Ray’s direction.

"HEY!  I thought you were cool!" Ray exclaims, giving Amanda a surprised look.

Turning her gaze at the now pouting boy, she’d been surprised at his costume.  Ray, unlike the rest of them and their more whimsical style, looked like some mafia child.  He was in a black vest and matching pants, covering a white-button up long-sleeve shirt.  Contrasting brightly against the basic colors was a bright red clip-on tie.  Like Courtney, he too had a pair of black leather gloves.  

Kara grins, listening as everyone in the household laughed at poor Ray’s misfortune.  

"Dad, did I do it right?  I can’t button the jacket thingy…" Dan asks, walking back into the living room.  A parade of “ooohs" and “ahhhs" escape his sisters and friend, and even Kara’s mouth dropped a bit.

Dan looked SHARP.  Complimenting his temporarily colored and punked up hair was a scarlet red T-shirt.  Covering that shirt was an intricate looking overcoat, but lighter looking, almost like a jacket.  It was visually stunning, with a rose like pattern on the back of it, and a small ivy-like design on the top right front shoulder and bottom right coattail.  Matching the overall color theme was a pair of black pants.

The boy blushed, his face quickly matching the rest of his outfit.  

Joel chuckled, and made his way towards the boy.  Fastening the button, he closes the coat, living only a small portion of his T-shirt’s midsection showing.  "There we go Dan, all ready!  I think we can make our way next door, it’s just about time!" Joel comments, clapping proudly.

There is a round of cheering form the small children, and they all quickly make their way to the backdoor. Throwing it open, they run next door with all haste, talking loudly amongst themselves.  Joel helps his mother from the couch, and the two exchange pleasant looks.  Escorting her in his arm, the two make their

"Coming Kara?" he asks, stopping at the door.  

She nods.  "Yeah, I’ll be over in just a minute.  Gonna make a phone call really quick." she says, standing up herself and making her way to the cordless phone.  Joel nods, closing the door as he and his mother make their way outside.  

Kara lets out a deep sigh, picking up the phone from its charging stand.  Punching a set of numbers in, she hits dial and holds it up to her head.  

There is a silence in the room.  Her breathing accelerates, and a nervous flutter overcomes her heart.  Eventually, an automated message picks up on the other line, instructing her to leave a message.  After a small beep, she sighs.

"Hey Mom.  Hey Dad.  It’s Kara.  Listen, I know you don’t want anything to do with my life right now.  I’m glad you started talking to me again when I started working at CPS, but…  This not talking stuff because of HomeHunters?  It’s breaking my heart…  And I’d let it all go, but…  My kids would love to meet all their grandparents, and I promised I would ask at the very least.  I have no intention of coming back home, I’m not going back to my old job, and I’m certainly not going to do as you asked and go back to college.  I love my life, and I wouldn’t want to live it any differently than I am right now.  But there are some things in life I’m willing to suck up my pride for.  So…  Just give me a call.  Tell me SOMETHING so these poor kids don’t have to sit and wonder.  I love you both…  Talk to you later…" she says, hanging up the phone and sticking it back on the charger angrily. 

Shaking her heard, she tussling her short hair.  In a few minutes, her perky attitude comes back in full.  Smiling as she picks up Dan’s forgotten play sword, she makes her way to the back of the house, turning off the lights as she leaves.

_____________

In her nice hotel room, Griffon flung herself against the bed.  The cool of the sheets prickled her skin, and began lulling her eyes shut.  

_I’m glad I got to see you Geoffery.  This whole trip was worth it…  So worth it…_

"You sure you don’t want to come?"  Burnie asks, exiting the restroom.  He’d come about half an hour ago, and they talked about the early afternoon together.  She’d told him everything.  From Geoffery not wanting to date to any and all things about his kids.  

Griffon sighed.  "Yes Burnie.  And You know why.  I love him too much to just let him throw everything away again." she remarks, constricting the sheets tightly between her fingertips.

Burnie sits next to her on the bed, shaking it as he plopped down.  "Surely you saw it.  That light in his eyes, that stupid grin, and just…  Everything about him.  He’s changed!  And Griffon, it’s time you came back to where you belonged too.  Home.  Geoff’s a strong man, he’s not going to abandon everything like he did before." he says firmly, gleaming at her with desperate eyes.  

Her eyes remain shut, and she lets her body sink deeper into the foam mattress.  "But what if he does?  What if he abandoned those kids?  Just..  LEFT them?  Remember, he ALMOST did once already during your last dumb-ass stunt to get us back together.  And that wasn’t even for a good reason….  I can’t risk it Burnie.  Not now…  Not ever." she remarks.  

Opening her eyes up, she tilts her head painful to look at him.  Eyes dewy, a single tear drops down her face.  

"The world can never know Griffon Anderson.  Ever again.  That’s just how it has to be."  

_____________

Monty didn’t say a word, merely staring at the boy called Gavin.  After entering the small abode, he halfway listened to some bland introductions from some of the parents.  Looking at the boy, his heart immediately skipped a beat.  

Gavin’s hair was spraypainted in a pale white, very similar to his own.  Around his neck was a silver chain holding small black jewel shaped in the form of an apple.  He was wearing a jacket, the top half in a dark grey, while the bottom half was a pure white that matched his long pants.  The interior of the jacket was bright red, and it complemented the black shirt he was wearing underneath it very well.  A loose fitting white belt was slung over him, serving no practical purpose but to hold a few crystal-like vials.  Even his tennis shoes were contemplating it amazingly.  

It was clear who Gavin had dressed up as.  A male version of Weiss Scnee, one the characters from his show.  But as much as it was a costume…  It wasn’t.  It was practical, something he’d totally see himself wearing.

“Wooooow!” Burnie exclaims, pushing past Monty and taking a closer look at the child.  “That is…  AWESOME.  Geoff wasn’t kidding, you really do look like Monty’s character!” he says, getting a big grin from the child.

“Thank you Uncle Burnie!” he says sweetly.

Monty makes his way towards the child, staring at him, mouth agape.  "Burnie, I want one.  Can we take him home with us, this is too adorable, I can’t stand it!!" he exclaims, plopping down at Gavin’s level.  The child takes a step or two back, a perplexed look on his face.  

“For god’s sake Ryan, how come YOU got the boss costume?  Do Kerry and I LOOK like bloody henchman to you?  THIS IS A FACE THAT BELONGS ON A MAIN CHARACTER!” yells an angry boy’s voice.  

Turning his gaze up from Gavin, he sees three teenage looking kids making their way into the living room.  Two of them were in matching black vests and pants, on top of an equally black button-up shirt.  Contrasting against it harshly were bright red ties, and equally stunning glasses.  The bigger of the three was in a similar outfit, just with a white overcoat covering the black and red, and a small hat atop his head.  

_Torchwick.  Junior’s henchmen.  Oh.  My.  God._

His friend laughs heartily.  “Now THAT is just too precious.  Oh, Monty.  The loud one in the back there is Miles.  The other henchman is Kerry, and Mr. Torchwick is Ryan, Geoff’s oldest son.” Burnie says, continuing his introductions.

Monty’s stare into their costumes leaves him unable to register the look of shock on the boy’s faces.

"M…M…M…Monty Oum…  Monty Oum…  Is in…  This house…  Holy…  Holy shit guys…." Miles stutters out.  His face is shaking in disbelief, and he begins to grab onto the Kerry boy’s arm tightly, spazzing.  "KERRY.  MONTY.  OUM..  I…  I JUST CAN’T…  I CAN’T…." he manages to stutter out.  The blonde henchman called Kerry isn’t moving, leaving his mouth gaping open. 

The older one has a smug expression, chuckling.  "I TOLD you guys my dad knew Burnie Burns."

Shaking off his initial surprise, Monty stands up and begins making his way towards the group.  Their faces were gleeful, bright.  

"A pleasure to meet you all.  I guess you know me.  I’m Monty Oum, and I developed RWBY and the Dead Fantasy Series." he says, extending his hand out to the trio.  

The one called Miles extended his hand first.  It was trembling,   “Mr. Oum..  It is such a pleasure to-"

"YOU WROTE MY BOOK!  I LOVE YOU!" screams the small child from earlier, causing him to turn around and avoid Miles’ hand completely.  

Gavin rushes up to him, hugging him tightly.  "RWBY is the best!  I love the book, but daddy let me watch the show too!  I love Weiss cuz she sings and fights and goes like WOOSH in the sky, and the way Yang punches things and they go BOOM!  And my brother Michael likes Blake cuz she beats ALL the things up real good, but I like Ruby two cuz she’s all WAAAAIIIII-CHAAAAA-hAAAAAIIIII-YAAAAA." the boy says, making approppriate hand movements as he animates his speech.  Though eventually, he begins rambling so quickly that Monty finds it hard to keep up.

"Gavin!  Slow down there buddy!" and older male with red hair says, walking over towards them.  The small child breathes in and out deeply, attempting to catch his breath.  He’d been talking so quickly that he found it difficult to breathe.  That child was QUITE the talker, Monty would have to watch himself around that one.

Feeling a small hand grasping at his other side, he turns his head.  

In what he could only describe as a bear hoodie over a dark blue T-shirt and obnoxiously bright yellow pants, was another small child.  In curly red hair, holding a foam blue sword, with little golden puzzle pieces dangling from his hood cords, this one had a much darker expression… Almost…  Angry.

"You wrote that book, right?  And made that show RWBY right?  Cuz I gotta problem.  How come you made Weiss all lonely and stuff?  Who’d want to write a story where people got sad all the time?  BAD people, that’s who.  So she needs a friend.  Make her one, ok?" he demands, holding his sword to his side, in an offensive positioning.  

"Michael!  Don’t be rude!" Geoff exclaims, walking over and picking up the small child.  The boy just rolls his eyes as he adjusts himself on his father’s shoulder. 

"Sorry Mr. Monty." he mutters.

A back door opens, and another small group enters.  Turning around, completely ignoring a sobbing mess of Miles Luna, he sees more small bodies rush into the home.  

_Junior.  Yang.  Ruby.  Adam.  Oh…  My…  God…._

"Heyman!  Glad to see you got your glorious keester over here.  I’d like to know why my child has white hair, and I understand that YOU are responsible for it while I was away." Geoff says, shooting daggers at the older man entering the home.  

Monty stands up and makes his way towards the couch, plopping himself down.  The man places his hands firmly on his cheeks, his entire being completely overwhelmed.

"Nope.  I’m done.  Just…  So done…" he says as Gavin rejoins his side, returning to another long winded conversation.

_____________________

The HomeHunters turned another corner from their neighborhood.  They didn’t plan on trick or treating long, since it was a school night.  Plus, most of them wanted to talk more with Burnie and Monty over some big boxes of pizza, courtesy of Burns himself.

Leading just behind Ray and Courtney, Miles was inhaling and exhaling a deep as he could.  Calming himself.  Relaxing.  Behind him was his idol, the man who developed some of the most amazing things he watched CONSTANTLY.  Monty Oum was RIGHT FUCKING BEHIND HIM.  

_Ok…  Ok…  Miles, let’s not fangasm all over him again.  Kerry calmed the hell down and had a lovely conversation with him right now.  Ryan didn’t lose his damn cool ONCE.  So why are you such a nervous little twat!?_

A hand is laid on Mile’s shoulder, and he jumps, swinging instantly in a panic.  

"Sorry Miles!  Geoff wanted a picture of you three together.  Some of our close up shots didn’t work well, and Ms. Barbie just HAS to have them all PERFECT."  

Breathing a sigh of relief, he rubs his face.  The man in front of him was Gus Sorola, a friend of Geoff’s.  The man had been taking pictures all night, from many different angles and distances.  Half for Barbara and Geoff, and another half for Monty.

Miles takes a step backwards, and knees down beside Ray and Courtney, getting into a pose.  Gus pulls up his camera and begins focusing the lens.

"HEY!  YOU LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE YOU FREAKING PERVERT!!" screams a deep voice, and before Miles knows it, a man in a dark black business suit and glasses is running at them.

Turning around, Geoff’s friend gets a peculiar look.  "Huh?  Excuse me, I-" Gus mutters as he is tackled HARD to the ground and onto the grass of a nearby lawn.  The camera flies into the air, and Courtney catches it on the fly.

The man turns his head towards them, pinning Gus on the ground, locking his arms painfully against his back.  "KIDS!  Go back to your parents, tell them to call the police, this man is clearly a pervert, and I-"

"Mister!  GET OFF UNCLE GUS!" Ray shouts, hiding behind Miles.  

Realizing that they could all be in danger, Miles grabs both children by the hands and walks them away from the situation, leaving Gus to his own devices.

"GEOFF!  JACK!  BURNIE!  ANYONE!  COME QUICK! SOMEONE’S BEATING UP GUS!" he screams, pulling the children away from the crazy man, both children sharing worried looks. 

The man gets a wild look in his eyes.  "You know this man?  He’s not some..  Stalker pervert?  I’ve watched him take pictures of you kids all night!  He’s clearly a dangerous-" he exclaims.

Beneath him, an angry Gus is squirming vehemently.  "I’M HEAD OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES YOU ASSHOLE, I’M NOT SOME DAMN PERVERT!  THEY WANTED PICTURES FOR THEIR ALBUM, AND I’M A FRIEND OF THEIR FAMILY WITH A NICE CAMERA!  NOW GET THE FUCK OFF ME BEFORE I CALL THE COPS ON YOU!!" he screams, trying to raise himself off (unsuccessfully) of  the brute.

"HEY!" Geoff screams, sprinting quickly to their side at a maddening pace.  His face was FRIGHTENING, even more-so than his own father’s on that night so many weeks ago.

The man stands up from Gus and bows apologetically to them all, stepping backwards awkwardly.  "I am…  So sorry..  This has been a HUGE misunderstanding, I assure you…  I’ll just…  I’ll just leave…  Sorry!" he says, sprinting away from the scene himself. He was just as fast as Geoff was, if not faster.  The man was out of sight before they knew it.

Geoff checks on all three of them, ignoring his friend entirely.  "Are you three ok?  Is everything all right?  What happened Miles?" he asks, the rest of their group closing in  at their own leisurely pace.

Miles just shook his head.  "I think that guy thought Gus was trying to abduct us, and…  Tackled him.  He tried to get me to call the cops and run back to you guys, so…  I don’t think he was…  Scary, just…  Kind of stupid…" he said, still holding Ray and Courtney tight to his body.  Even though the “danger" had passed, his body wouldn’t let them go on instinct.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Geoff shakes his head.  "Thank you Miles…  Thank you so much.." he says, wiping his brow.  

Hearing a painful groan, the two of them realize that Gus is still painfully stuck on the ground.  

Geoff helped Gus up from the ground, the man holding his back painfully.  "God damn…  That guy MUST have been an overzealous rookie cop or some shit, cuz he HURT.  I’m gonna need a chiropractor…  Jesus, I’m glad I came all the way out here tonight!  Fuuuuck you Barbie.." he mutters, as Geoff slaps him on the head.

"Language!  Littles are here!" he says, Gus giving him a smoldering look. of absolute horror.

_____________________

After the excitement of the evening was over, Geoff had retired for the night on his bed, leaning up against the headboard.  Jack was taking care of the kids and insuring their candy consumption stayed to a minimum.  He would have felt guilty for not staying up later for Burnie , but he and Monty were staying a few days, taking an extended vacation apparently.  Sadly, Tex had to fly back for recording.

"Bark!" screamed Edgar, popping into Geoff’s room and jumping on his bed immediately.   

Surprisingly absent from the kid’s side, Edgar was lapping at his face within just a few seconds.   The little doggie was trying to climb up his shirt, craving attention and love.  They’d locked him up in Ryan’s room as people were coming and going that evening, not wanting him to escape or get out.  The way the kids and their whole family loved that dog, Geoff was going to make DAMN well sure he stayed put in that house.      

Petting the dog’s head, he rubbed it in a circular motion, calming it down.  

"Well Edgar…  It’s been a long day.  Any chance I can let off some steam with you and your doggie wisdom?" he comments.  

"BARK!" the dog replies, looking at him expectantly.

Geoff smiled.  "Well, I got the kids a trip to California today at the expense of one awkward ass lunch." he muttered.

The dog whined, licking him once on the face. 

Geoff pet him in response.  "I know, right?  Well, that Tex girl wasn’t too bad.  I mean, she acted kind of snooty at first, but she got cool at the end.  I don’t know what Burnie saw in her though, there is no way in hell the two of us could have EVER worked out together, am I right?"

The dog growled lowly, almost in a…  Groan?  

_Can dogs groan?_

Tilting his head, he’s unsure why the dog would give him such a response.  "Uh…  I am right, right?"

_____________________

_(One Week Earlier)_

_It was an hour after Stella’s party was supposed to start.  Chris painfully sat himself on the couch, no longer gazing outside the window.  Despite him trying to be nice…_

_Gavin…  Gavin wasn’t coming._

_"Brandon…  How come nobody wants to be with us?" Chris asks painfully, turning to his friend’s side._

_Brandon frowned too.  "I know..  We’re just…  Weird I guess.  Even our mommy and daddy don’t want to be around us…" he says pitufully._

_There’s a big chuckle from their Nanny Stella, and she can’t help but laugh._

_Stella was an old lady from the neighborhood who mommy hired to watch him and Brandon.  She had blonde hair that was graying, was real wrinkly, but always had something good to say and was really nice.  Nanny Stella was kind of big, but could chase him and Brandon all day long!  So he knew better than to cross her!_

_"Oh you two little sweethearts…  Don’t cha worry your pretty little heads off!  Your momma and daddy just busy folks, that’s all!  And little Gavin probably just got busy too.  There ain’t nothing wrong with you two, I PROMISE!" she says, trying to bring a smile to their faces._

_"Now!  How about we get some cake!  I don’t know about you boys, but I’m starving!" she says, smacking her lips together in an exaggerated manner, getting a giggle from both the boys._

_Walking to the table, she removes the white box that had been hiding a small cake.  It’s red, Chris’s favorite color, and has the cast of the Power Rangers on it!_

_"STELLA!  That’s so cool!" Brandon exclaims happily._

_Chris smiles, glad his Nanny was so nice.  She even knew his favorite TV show!_

_"Thank you Nanny, I love it!" he replies, hugging her happily._

_"Why you’re very welcome sweetheart!  I’m glad you like it!" she replies happily._

_Pulling out a small automatic lighter, she clicks it several times until it produces a flame.  "Now Chris…  I want you to make a wish and don’t’ tell no one!  Then you’ll blow it all out, and maybe someday it’ll come true!" she explains._

_Chris smiles._

_Thinking to himself, Chris could only wish for one thing._

_That someone..  Someone besides Brandon…  Besides Stella…  Would find time for him, and be his friend.  So he knew he wasn’t weird…_

_Right as Ms. Stella reached the first candle, the doorbell to their home rings.  Halting herself from lighting it, she turns her head in that direction.  "Oh…  Well, let me get the door boys, and then we’ll-" she starts, but Chris is already running to the door._

_Reaching it within a few seconds, he turns the knob and swings it open quickly.  His face happily explodes as he sees Gavin on the other side._

_Gavin is smiling, handing a small box out in front of him towards Chris.  "Happy Birthday Chris!  Sorry I’m late, my brother got me stuck at someone else’s house all day long!!" he says, pointing behind him with an irritated expression._

_Looking up, Chris notices a tall man scratching the back of his head.  It wasn’t Gavin’s dads, but he was a big boy and had on funny yellow glasses._

_Stella comes to the door behind Chris, smiling.  "Oh?  Is this your friend Chris?  The one you were expecting?" she says, in a happy tone._

_Chris nods, and pulls Gavin into the house.  "Thanks for coming Gavin!  I’m glad you came, me and Brandon were gonna be so bored without you!" Chris says happily, grinning from ear to ear.  Stella and Gavin’s brother come in together._

_Whispering outside their range of hearing, Cameron walks alongside Stella._

_He rubs his face, carefully removing his glasses.  "I’m so sorry we’re late, it is completely my fault!  Gavin and I spent the morning together, and we got caught up with him spending time with my folks.  Oh, uh..  Sorry.  I’m Gavin’s…  Um…  Brother, Cameron.  Cameron Collins."_

_The woman extends her hand, and the two shake.  "My name is Stella, and I’m the caretaker for little Brandon and Chris.  It’s such a pleasure to meet you.  Little Chris has just been waiting all excited for his friend to get here!" she exclaims, winking knowingly at him as they return to the table._

_Chris sat in between Gavin and Brandon, and the three began eagerly talking together, all of them happy to have each other’s company._


	18. Caiti's Choice

Sitting sternly in a small office just outside of Austin, Cameron’s body was rigid.  Legs crossed, arms folded and attention firmly pointed at the man sitting across the desk from him.  Inside the office of a small Private Investigation firm, the ticking of the man’s wall clock echoed loudly in his ear.  The man was scanning over the information for the umpteenth time, sighing more and more heavily with each passing moment.  It was with reluctance that he’d even agreed to finally meet back with Cameron.  

Finally, he raises his head.  The man was of a strong muscular build, with a cleanly shaven head.  In a casual polo, the man’s piercing green eyes stared into Cameron’s very soul.

“Mr. Collins.  What’s you’re asking of me is quite difficult.  The case didn’t even remotely get off the ground with the parents acting as they did.  Any evidence I find…  May not lead to anything, and I’ll still expect payment for services rendered.” he states plainly.  

Cameron shakes his head.  “Mr. McCormick, I-

“Shannon.” he replies quickly, in a dead serious tone.

He rolls his eyes.  “Shannon, I want this done.  I’ve given you everything that exists on the car that killed my friend.  Even if you come up with nothing, I’ll at least know I tried.  Know that I ATTEMPTED something.  That’s all I’m expecting, and we’re well aware we have to pay anyway.” Cameron says in a determined tone.

The investigator sighs again.  “Mind if I ask why?  I get that you want some bullshit revenge, but…  Really, it’s been several years.  Why the sudden interest?” he asks, rubbing the temple of his head irritatingly.  

Cameron unfolds his arms, letting them lay on his lap loosely.  “Because his little brother…  Gavin.  He lost his parents too now, but it was their own fault.  He’s lost everyone that was ever important to him besides me.  I don’t want him growing up and feeling like everything was out of his control or that it was his fault in ANY way.  No..  I want justice for Isaac, one way or another.  Because that will bring Gavin the peace he needs and deserves." the man said, in a pained voice.

Shannon exhales deeply, rubbing his forehead.  After a few awkward minutes of staring at the papers once more, he nods.  "Alright.  I’ll see what I can do.  No promises." he says, his face a flustered mess. 

———————————————

The office of Gus Sorola was…  Well, the shelves surrounding it were immaculate, filled to the brim with dozens of thick binders.  Large filing cabinets littered the room, all alphabetized perfectly.  Calendars, work logs, time-sheets and schedules were covering his desk, neatly stacked to the side.  Despite the man’s somewhat sloppy appearance, Caiti realized that he did a fantastic job keeping everything so straight in their organization.

Sitting across from him, Caiti can’t help but chuckle as he eases into his chair painfully.  "Still sore from your attacker?  You really should stay away from the small children, you’d avoid things like that!" she says jokingly.  

The man gives her a blank stare, his eyes half-shut in an angry Gus face.  "Ha.  Ha.  Very funny Caiti.  Thanks for coming by the way, I know you’re busy today in the field with your checkups and case reports." he says, adjusting his back slightly.

She nods. “It’s fine, really.  So what did you want to talk about?" she asks curiously.  Her hand gripped her opposite arm, pressing hard into it.  Despite having known Gus for over a year since her transfer from the Dallas branch, her stomach felt like butterflies when she was alone with him.  He could be a scary boss when he wanted to be.

Sighing, he closes his eyes, removing his glasses.  "Caiti, in the last month…  You’ve been spending a lot of time with the HomeHunters.  Both during and after work.  From what I heard from Jack during a lunch meeting, you’re actually writing a textbook for them, AND plan on teaching two teenage boys in some child care course on weekends?  That’s…  That’s a lot of time and commitment Caiti to have on top of your job as well.  You’re basically working two jobs now." Gus says plainly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.  

Caiti looks away from him.  "Well..  Yes, but I’m still doing all my work on time.  My job and my kids ALWAYS come first, and Jack knows that.  So, surely this isn’t a problem?" she asks, her face falling with concern.  

He shakes his head and hands.  "No!  No, of course not.  Just..  I want you to answer a question for me Caiti.  And I want you to be 100% honest with me.  If you had a choice to stay here at this job, or go work for HomeHunters in the future in any capacity, what would you choose?  Honestly!  I mean, this isn’t going to hurt your job in any way, I just need to know for MY sake."  he questions, looking at her straight in the eyes.

She drops her head.  "Well…  I don’t…I dont know, there’s a lot to think about that, and-"

Gus groans.  "I need an answer.  Think it over, and get back to me by Monday.  Ok?  That’s all I wanted to know.  Good luck with your kids today, and have a great weekend." he says kindly.

Despite the sincerity and politeness in his words, she can’t help but feel her morning breakfast want to make a surprise return all over his desk.

_Oh god…._

—————————————-

Miles attempted to count the number of burn marks on Geoff’s cooked bacon.  He cut his sunny side eggs into as many smaller pieces as he could.   Buttering his biscuit it as evenly as one could ever hope to.  Anything to take his mind off the men surrounding him.

Sitting at the breakfast table in Ryan’s house was none other than Monty Oum, Burnie Burns, Geoff, and himself.  His idol, his favorite director of all time, and his protector respectively. People who he looked up to more than anyone else in his entire life.  Despite his attempts to calm himself and try to act like a normal human being, he couldn’t SAY anything that whole week.  Everything sounded so STUPID in his head, and how exactly do you tell someone how much they mean to you without coming off as creepy?

So instead of forcing out what would ultimately be utter gibberish, he thought he’d enjoy the last two days of Monty’s company just listening to the man talk.  He was incredibly dedicated to his work, and had lots of insightful things to talk about.    

He notices as a fork invades his personal space, sticking him in the nose.  “So Miles…  You’ve been rather quiet the last couple of days, what’s with that buddy?  Nervous about the quiz bowl competition today?” Geoff asks teasingly.  

He blushes immediately.  “Uh, yeah.  I don’t wanna screw up.” Miles admits.  It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t exactly the whole truth either.

Monty turns his face to him. “Oh?  What are you doing?  Quiz bowl?  What’s that?” he asks with a genuine interest.  

Geoff smiles.  "It’s a contest thing that the schools do.  Kind of like an academic contest?  You have to buzz in and answer smart questions that the contest people ask you.  I think there’s like four or five rounds in it, and the team with the most points from correctly answered questions wins.  My boy Ryan’s in it too with his friend Kerry." he says proudly.

Mr. Oum grins.  "Wow.  So I’m guessing you’re pretty smart to make that team?  That’s really impressive!" he says, causing him to sink far back into his chair.

Miles shakes his head.  "No…  Not really, I’m definitely not smart Mr. Oum.  I’m not much good for anything besides playing video games or watching videos online.  I’m just an alternate they had to use because our captain Arryn got called out of town." he mutters in a joking way, turning his attention back to his plate.  

  _Really…  Dad’s right.  Here I am with three incredible people who’ve done amazing things with their lives, and…  Did they waste their youth?  Probably not…  I bet they all worked their asses to the grind.  What have I done?  Nothing._

"Pfffft…  Please, Miles is one of the best things that ever happened to this household.  If he’s worthless, then I’m worse than worthless.  Im Worseworthless." Geoff says, rolling his eyes.  

He shoots his head back up.

_Huh?_

Geoff looks straight at him, pointing.  "So Monty, you’d appreciate this…  This kid here spends the better part of two or three hours every evening watching my kid Ray play video games, and helping him when he gets stuck.  He’s got this HUGE ASS BOOK he wrote himself of how to play all kinds of games, it’s like an encyclopedia of gaming knowledge.  Miles will just SIT there, making sure Ray has as much fun as possible, never once complaining when he could be doing something else.  Incredibly hard working too, I see him googling Ray’s games and shit beforehand.  Then when it’s Ray’s bedtime, he cracks open his homework and does it like he’s prepping for brain surgery.  And for “light" reading, he opens up the study book he made for Quiz Bowl and spends hours memorizing crap he wasn’t even supposed to be learning.  He WAS the alternate at first, but now they’ve got him learning crap I probably couldn’t even bother staying awake to read, let alone retain!  THEN and only then does he finally go off to bed around 10 or 11 PM, and only when he’s completely exhausted, sometimes actually falling asleep on the couch." he finishes, animating his arms and face wildly during his gushing.

Burnie turns to Geoff.  "Yeah, and didn’t you tell me he was the one that gave all those games from his old house to the kids?  Like the DS and those Pokemon games to Michael?  The Wii and those singing and guitar hero games to Gavin?  I KNOW Ray inherited the holy grail of the original Xbox and stuff, because I remember him screaming over the phone while you were telling me about it!" he says, smiling in Miles’ direction.

Monty turns to him.  "Wow.  That’s incredibly impressive for someone your age.  I wish I had that dedication and kindness when I was younger. I’d probably be a lot more effective a person than I am today." he says, patting Miles on the back. 

He shakes his head.  "I’m not that special.  Really.  I just like Ray a lot since he’s a cool kid, I’m doing Quiz Bowl for Ryan and Kerry.  I study a lot at night so I can stay here as long as I want without mom on my case, and I never played those games anymore, so it wasn’t a big deal…  I uh…  I don’t do much.  Really!" Miles mutters embarrassingly.  He gets up from the table in a rush, grabbing his bag off the floor.  "I’m uh…  I’m gonna go try and memorize the history of the world some more!  BYE!" he manages to say before stumbling over his own two feet, dashing off into the hallway to the bewilderment of the house-guests.

Burnie sighs, fiddling his his coffee mug.  "You were right Geoff.  That kid really can’t see himself as anything good, can he?  That just breaks my damn heart, seeing how nice he is and how hard he works.  How do you handle this every day of your life?  I just want to slap him and make him love himself." the man remarks, rubbing his tired looking eyes.

Shrugging, Geoff shakes his head.  "It’s a process.  People need time to heal, and confidence isn’t something that grows overnight.  I try my damnest to be there for him like he was for Ryan, but at the end of the day…  He’s got to see himself like we see him." he says regretfully.  

Monty frowns.  "You know…  I was just like him when I was younger, and I’m kind of like that today still." he said, gaining the attention of the two other men beside him.

Continuing, he brushes his hair through his fingertips.  "I felt like..  No matter how much work or content I put out there, it was never enough.  Like I was failing every single step of the way, and…  Even though I gave it everything I possibly could, I always thought that I could have given more.  So then I hated myself and thought I was worthless." he says grimly.

Geoff stares at him in curiosity.  "Well, what helped you the most in getting over that?" he asked.  

Monty smiled.  "Don’t you worry.  Leave that to me, ok?  I think I know exactly what the boy needs." he says slyly. 

 —————————————-

Caiti knocked  loudly on the front door to Courtney’s home.  It was time for her checkup, and she was hoping seeing the little girl would make her feel better.  Courtney was such a lovely child, and knew exactly how to brighten up anyone’s day.  As the door is opened, Kara’s perky face is at the crack.  "CAITI!" she screams, hugging the woman tightly.  After exchanging pleasantries, the two of them make their way through the household.   

Turning to her friend, Caiti pulls out a small book from the bag slung across her shoulder.  "So Kara, how is Courtney doing?  Everything ok?" she asks, pulling a pen out from her ear.  

Taking a deep breath, Kara sighs.  "You know…  Dan opened up pretty quickly to me and Joel.  I always know what’s going on in that boy’s head, or at least I like to think I do.  Lindsay’s an open book who tells everyone exactly how she feels, so we’ve never been concerned with her either, but…  Courtney’s a different story. I mean, I see her smiling and happy and having fun with her friends, so i think she’s ok…  But then there are days like today, when she’s just all alone out in the garden, not talking to anyone.  Just staring at the flowers, with this sad little expression, and I just feel really far away from her.  She assures us that she’s fine, but I can’t help but wonder…  If there’s something more." she says, the two of them reaching the backdoor.  Looking out the small window, they spot Courtney writing in a notebook, sitting on a small stone bench alone.  

Caiti nods, and opens the door to the outside.  Walking a small distance, the girl’s face turns up to see her, and smiles instantly.  "Hi Caiti!" she says happily, but remaining seated.  

Taking the seat next to her, she stares down at the notebook.  There are several scribbles of roses and other flowers all over the pages.  Some looked rather good, but others were a tad messy.  

She turns her head to Courtney.  "Are you drawing?  That looks like fun!" Caiti remarks.

Courtney nods her head.  "Yep!  Mr. Reed says I’m a good colorer, and that maybe when I’m grown up, I could make cartoons!  So I wanna practice!" she says, smiling at Caiti.

Jotting down a few notes in her book, she attempts to open her mouth, but is interrupted immediately.

"Caiti, I got a question." Courtney asks.

Taken aback, she nods her head.  "Ask away!  I’ll try and answer it as best I can." she says firmly, a tad worried as to what was on the child’s mind.

After a moment or two of silence, she looks back up at her.  "Caiti, when’d you know what you wanted to be when you grew up?  Because me and my friends are all worried about not knowing that, and…  I wanna tell them it’s all ok, but I don’t know how to say it.  I wanna make them not feel bad, and make them happy." she says sadly, looking down at the ground in defeat.

Turning her gaze away, she clutches her notebook tightly.  "Well, I-"

-

_Caiti walks into her mother’s room, cracking the door open.  At six years old, she’s in a pajama dress, holding a small book in her hands.  "Mommy?" she asks, peeking inside._

_Sitting on the bed is her mother, a tall and lean  woman with stunning golden-brown hair.  With a bright smile, she’s sitting next to Caiti’s sister Sara.  Sara looked just like their mommy, only smaller.  The two don’t notice her in the slightest._

_"Mom?  Can you fix it?  It’s my FAVORITE!" Sara asks sadly, laying her head softly on Mrs. Ward’s arm._

_Their mother nods.  "Of course sweetheart!  It’s just a tiny little rip, we’ll get it all nice and fixed up for school tomorrow!  Shouldn’t take me very long, I promise." she says confidently._

_Caiti stands immediately in front of them.  "Mommy?  Can you read me a story tonight?  Please?" she asks pleadingly._

_Her mother does not take her attention away from her needlework.  "Not now Caiti, Sara needs help with her dress.  I’ll read you a story another night.  And go to bed, it’s past your bedtime young lady!" she says firmly._

_Caiti frowns, but does as she is told.  Walking out of her mother’s room, she walks slowly down the distance of their small hallway.  Opening the door to her room, she smiles as her nightlight is still on, coloring her happy looking room a golden orange.  But as she closes the door to her room behind her, she frowns, her expression crushing almost immediately._

_Mommy always did stuff with Sara.  Sara always did stuff with her friends.  But nobody ever did stuff with Caiti.  Nobody wanted Caiti…_

_She rushes into her bed, jumping the last gap, and grabbing a small teddy bear as she flies over it.  Cuddling it closely to her chest she huddles with it against the wall. Caiti opens up the storybook she’d wanted her mommy to read her.  Positioning the small bear in her arms like a small child, she pretends to read it a story._

_"Bearie, this is the story of Cinderella." she says, pointing to the pretty girl in the first picture._

_-_

_Brushing the last of her hair out, Caiti smiles.  Her Junior prom was that night, and she actually managed to pull her look off.  A very simple and sleek white dress, and she’d managed to force the contacts into her eyeballs.  Plus, her straightened hair actually cooperated with her that evening and curled gracefully._

_"Oooh?  What’s the occasion   Do you have a date tonight?" her mother asks, peeking into the bathroom._

_Caiti frowns, turning her head down.  "Well…  It’s prom tonight mom." she mutters, continuing to brush out her hair._

_Mrs. Ward’s jaw drops.  "What?  TONIGHT?  Why didn’t I know about it?  How’d you get a dress?  Did Sara take you?" she asks incredulously._

_She shook her head.  "I told you a few months ago when I went dress shopping.  You were busy with Sara and helping her out with the college stuff.  Dad gave me money for it.  Don’t worry about it, I took care of everything." Caiti says reluctantly._

_Her mother laughs.  "Oh dear…  I feel like such a heel!  I’m so sorry sweetheart, do you need anything?  Maybe some perfume?" she asks whimsically._

_Caiti shakes her head.  "No mom…  I’m just fine." she replies, taking a deep breath as she finishes with her hair._

_As her mother walks away from the bathroom, she frowns, suddenly feeling less happy than she had before.._

_"I’m always…  Just fine."_

_-_

_Sitting atop the office of the Sinclair building, Caiti was nervous as her superior closed the door and returned to his seat across from her._

_"Ms. Ward, here at Sinclair, we expect things to be done in a certain way.  As caring and as compassionate as you are to the children we mentor and support…  You’re just taking far too long on each child.  I want you, in this next week, to half the time on each child you are working with.  I believe that would be a good start, and we can move on from there." he says strictly._

_Her face falls.  "But…  Isn’t that why we’re here?  To HELP children?  My kids NEED just a little more time than normal!  Their counseling sessions are not that-"_

_He shakes his head, putting his finger up to shush her.  "They’re not your “kids" Ms. Ward.  They are cases.  They are files.  They are people that we need to get in and out as quickly as possible.  Do you REALLY think our investors care about little Timmy?  No.  They want numbers, results, and to know that their money is being spent in an efficient way for the ten o’clock news.  The sooner you make this distinction, the easier your job will become." he irritatingly delivers to her, rubbing his forehead   The man, however, is hunching his shoulders, breathing deeply._

_Caiti’s shoulders fall, and her chest feels hollow.  Tears begin forming in her eyes, but her face is twitching angrily.  "But that’s why I came here!  It’s…  It’s why I’ve worked SO HARD ALL THESE YEARS!  Because I wanted to make sure that every child felt special!  That they felt needed and wanted!  Like someone CARED that they existed!  Are you telling me that all of THIS is a lie?!" she screams loudly, standing up from the chair._

_The man sighs, crestfallen.  "That’s just a fairy-tale Ms. Ward.  The sad truth is that our company is not the kind place that the media has made it out to be.  Yes, we do good work, but many slip through the cracks or get substandard counseling services.  We’re not saints, and we’re more concerned with budgets than children.  Maybe that’s not what Sinclair was when it started, but…  It’s what it is now." he mutters._

_Her head turns away from him, and she begins to make her way out of the office.  "I’ll-"_

_The supervisor stops her before she can speak.  "My advice?  And…  I say this as one human to another, not as your boss…  Get out.  You have such passion in your heart, and even after working in this corporate nightmare for a year…  You still have your soul.  Don’t stay here Ms. Ward, the world needs you somewhere else.  Somewhere you can make a difference in the lives of children, if that’s what you really want.  I get more compliments from parents and nearby agencies about you than anyone else.  I have NEVER heard a bad word spoken of you, except from your jealous peers or your overzealous higher-ups.  So…  As your boss, I’m asking you to take your lunch hour early and think on this.  Come back and let me know…  If you’ll do your job as you are asked, or…  If I need to find a suitable replacement for you, which will be near impossible." he says in a warm voice, trying his best to smile._

_-_

_Walking the short distance between the Sinclair building and the city park, Caiti finds herself along a pathway filled with dead trees.  Leaves crunched beneath her feet, wet with the dew of the early morning.  The air had a chill to it, and she crossed her arms to huddle for warmth.  Looking around, she sees two small children running around happily with a small dog.  Several people walking hand-in hand on the pathways, sneaking kisses to one and other.  Though her eyes finally came to settle on the nearby fountain.  It looked a lot like the one she’d tossed coins into as a child back home.  Walking up to it, she takes a seat on a nearby bench, one that gave her a perfect view of it._

_As she stares at it for several minutes, there’s a soft hum near her._ _"Pretty, isn’t it?  Even in winter, they keep it going.  I think it’s a memorial for someone." a husky voice mutters._

_She doesn’t bother looking to her side, but senses another body on the bench right beside hers. “Yeah…  I’ve always liked fountains.  My kids do too.  I always let them throw change in and make a wish.  It’s so cute seeing what they want more than anything else in the world." Caiti says dreamily, looking down at her feet._

_The man turns to her.  "Oh?  That’s sweet.  I wish I had kids of my own too.  Must be nice…" he mutters._

_She snorts.  "Not MY kids, heavens no, I am nowhere near ready to have children of my own.  I work with Sinclair, so I sometimes bring my case kids here for counseling sessions.  Something about it makes them feel safer, and I like making them as comfortable as possible..  You know?  Being around other kids, not in some stuffy office with a scary lady staring at them.  Just somewhere natural where they can be themselves and be free." Caiti says, blushing.  "Sorry, didn’t mean to turn this into a work speech."_

_The man nods.  "Not at all, I know exactly what you mean.  I’m in child protective services myself, just outside Austin.  Here checking up on a kid of mine as well.  And you work for Sinclair?  That’s impressive, it’s hard to get in with them." he mutters._

_Caiti smiles, turning to look at the man.  In a large black coat, not much was visible about him.  Wrapped up in a big red scarf, he looked incredibly warm.  He was also rather handsome with his orange-red hair.  "Really? What’s it like in protective services?  I’ve uh…  Always wondered about places to be where I could work really close with kids." she asks, eyes glued to his clean-shaven face._

_He shrugs.  "I mean…  The stories you hear about the long hours, the horrible nightmares these kids go through, and the round the clock schedule?  Well, that’s all true.  Especially if you’re in an understaffed area like I am.  It’s not for the weak of heart, that’s for sure" the man mutters sadly._

_She frowns.  "Oh…  Well, I-"_

_His face turns up.  "But really…  It’s what I always wanted to do.  If you really love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.  I’ve worked maybe…  Six or seven days of my life now, and I’ve been in CPS for a while.  Something about being a light in kids lives…  Knowing that you’re an anchor for them, helping to pull them out of the shadows?  Make them feel like they matter?  Making them feel safe and warm in a new home with a new family?  There’s nothing more rewarding for me than that.  There’s only one job I think I’d rather have instead of this, and that’s just a dream right now." he says happily.  She sees the sincerity in his words, and the way his face lit up as he spoke.  He really did love his job._

_Turning her head away from the man, she focuses on her lap.  Taking a deep breath, Caiti exhales loudly, closing her eyes.  "If I stay there…  I’ll work every day of my life, won’t I?" she mutters to her self._

_The man turns to her.  "Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that?" he chuckles._

_Caiti shakes her head.  "Nothing.  But thank you.  You’ve helped me more than you know." she says, standing up._

_He turns his head to her.  "Huh?" he responds awkwardly._

_Walking away, she doesn’t say anything to him.  After all, he was just a stranger.  She didn’t want to bother the poor man anymore than she already had.  But as she walks away from the park with her head held high and face smiling in a determined grin, the man in the big trench-coat is tackled painfully by a small boy.  Coming out of nowhere, he pulls the man’s attention away from Caiti, bringing him back down to earth.  Pulling the boy into a hug, he smiles.  "Hey Tanner!  What’s up my man?  Everything doing good?  Where’s you’re mom and dad?" he asks playfully._

_The boy smiles happily.  "I’m doing GREAT Jackie!  I love my new mommy and daddy!  Thank you SO much!  They’re parking the car, they’ll be here soon!" he responds in a gleeful manner._

___

_"Caiti, sweetheart?  Is everything going ok?" her mother asks, walking into her room without knocking._

_Everything had been neatly packed away, and the boxes were ready to be lifted out.  After leaving Sinclair the week earlier, she’d already gotten a job at Protective Services in Dallas, near home.  Though they already told her to expect a transfer in a year or less if the things near Austin didn’t get any better._

_Taking another big step in her life, she was moving out.  For good._

_She nods.  "Yes Mom, thanks.  I’ll be out of here by tomorrow morning.  It’ll probably take two trips, sorry." Caiti replies softly, turning attention towards her mother._

_Mrs. Ward leans against the doorway, folding her arms.  "You amaze me Caiti." she says in a proud tone._

_Her face scrunches, in a confused expression.  "Oh?  Why?" she asks, not moving from her spot._

_She watched as her mother walks in, picking up a small stuffed bear from her bed.  Hugging it tightly, she turned her face towards Caiti.  "Because you were always so independent.  Sara, bless your sister’s heart, needed my help for EVERYTHING in her life.  By the time you were born, I had no idea how I was going to handle two children.  But then…  You went and took care of yourself ever since you were little.  By the time you were a teenager, I didn’t want to step on your toes, and you never did ask for anything anymore.  You were like a little bird that flew from the nest before its mother even fed it for the first time.  Filled out college applications all on your own, got scholarships, got a degree.  Then got your dream job and gave it up because you weren’t happy with it.  And now…  Here you are!  Going on another exciting adventure!" she says, placing the tiny bear back on her bed._

_Caiti held herself back.  Gripping the box she was working with tightly, the cardboard ripped._

_Mrs. Ward smiles.  "I guess what I’m saying sweetheart…  Is that I’m proud of you, and the fine woman you became." she says happily._

_She nods.  "Thanks mom." Caiti says happily._

_Though as her mother walks away, she faces the tiny bear still sitting on her bed.  The one she’d had since she was a child.  Picking it up, she hugs it tightly._

_"Ready for a new life Bearie?  Maybe…  Maybe this one will be the winner.  Maybe Dallas will be where I find my voice, and maybe find my purpose in this world.  Where maybe…  Someone will want me." she says, cradling the stuffed toy in her arms._

-

"Caiti?  You ok?" Courtney asks sweetly, patting her hand softly.  

Coming back to her senses, Caiti shakes her head off.  "Yes sweetheart, I’m fine.  Sorry, I was just thinking to myself.  Well…  To answer your question, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up after I grew up!" she answered.

Courtney tilts her head.  "Huh?  Can you do that?" she asks worriedly.

Caiti nods.  "Absolutely.  I started working my first job, and I didn’t like it very much.  So I found a job I did like doing!  And now…"

_Now I think I’ve really got another job I prefer doing._

She shakes her head.  "But really Courtney, don’t even start worrying about stuff like jobs right now.  Just have fun with your friends, and tell them that their daddies and your mommy Kara will always be there for them if they’re worried.  And to tell them that it will come to you in time, and if it doesn’t?  Well, you can always just find something you like better!  There’s nothing in this world that can ever hold you back completely!" Caiti says happily.

Courtney smiles.  "Really?  Well that’s good.  Because drawing is hard…." she says, looking down at her roses disappointingly.  

The two of them laugh, and Caiti begins the actual case interview.

-

After having a long conversation with Courtney, and as she gets back into her car for her next appointment, she flips open her phone.  Dialing one of her recent contacts, the other end picks up through voice mail.

"Gus, it’s Caiti.  If I had to pick between CPS and HomeHunters?  I’d pick HomeHunters.  Because I think they’re a place that can really change the lives of kids for the better.  But…  I doubt I’ll be needed once the book and coursework is done, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.  Still…  There’s your answer." she says confidently, hanging up on the other line. 

_________________

The nearby school where the Quiz Bowl competition was being held at was fairly large.  Much nicer than their own school, the classroom they were sitting in was big enough to hold both teams, the chaperoned, the judges and the proctor with still half the room completely empty.  

But that was not the focus of Miles’ attention.

He kept staring at Kerry’s plastered grin, writing quickly in his personal notebook.  He didn’t seem at all nervous about the fact that they were going up against one of the best teams in the region.  Honestly, Kerry had always been a pretty happy person, but with the last few weeks in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrow at his returned smile.  

"So Kerry…  What’s got you in such a good mood?" he asks, finally unable to contain his curiosity.

Turning to him, his friend smiles.  "Oh nothing really, I just have a lot of new material for my book, so I’m trying to get it all in while it’s fresh in my head." he says.

Opening his mouth in shock, he slaps himself gently in the face.  "Kerry!  I thought you said you weren’t gonna write that anymore!  I mean, you never did let me and Ryan see our chapter!  Something about how it was stupid and not any good?  You know, total and utter blasphemy?" he remarks, a small grin forming on his face.

Kerry blushes.  "Well…  Things changed." he whispered softly.

Grabbing the notebook away from him, Miles looks it over, but is unable to discern his horrendous handwriting.  "Who’s it about this time?  Did you start on Ray’s yet, he keeps asking when you’ll write about him!" he asks, bringing the paper closer to his face. 

Stealing it right back, Kerry rolls his eyes.  "It’s about me." he says annoyingly.

Miles cocks his head.  "You?  Oh that’s cool man, what’s it about?" he asks curiously.

Kerry gives him a stern look.  "It’s not finished yet, so I don’t wanna say till its done.  That’s just going to have to be a chapter for another day, ok?" he quips, stuffing the notebook into the new RWBY bag that Monty had signed for him.  

"Would you guys PLEASE shut up?" JJ shoots spitefully their way.

Looking back at the rest of his team, Miles sees the irritation on JJ’s face clear as day.  The agony on Ryan’s.  Even Kerry had been in a bad mood up until he cracked open his notebook.

The four of them were dumbfounded actually, attempting to rally together during the halftime of their second match. Ryan’s face was glued to the floor, unable to look any of them in the eyes.  "Guys..  I’m so sorry…  I just can’t go as fast as that kid…" he says, turning his head towards the opposing team.  

Their second round opponents had some sort of math genius on their team who was capable of solving the equations in less than ten seconds.  Ryan hadn’t answered a single question that round, and was just as bad as Miles had been in the previous round.  The previous round was a slaughter, but Ryan had done much better then.  Now though?  They were down nearly two hundred points, with complete regional elimination now hanging over their heads.

JJ shakes his head.  "Well, we knew this would be bad coming in Haywood, I don’t know WHY you’re surprised!  It wasn’t just losing Arryn though.  Maybe you should have stayed in remedial math where you belonged.  Seriously, who tries to get into Pre-AP classes when they almost FAILED their last semester of basic math?  I don’t care what Tate says, we should have gotten someone different than you." he says in a disgusted manner.  

He scowls.  "HEY, it’s Ramsey." Ryan retorts, ignoring the rest of his insults.  

Kerry sighs.  "Guys, cool it.  Let’s just finish our match and do as best we can.  We can only put 100% into our work, and fighting takes away from that.  Yeah, we’re probably not going to win, but at least we can try and not shame ourselves." he says in a calm tone, turning to Miles.  "Right?  

JJ rolls his eyes.  "Whaaaatever twinkle-toes, you keep telling yourself that."

Miles shoots a menacing look at JJ.  Despite Ryan’s tolerance of his teammate’s attitude, he was about at the breaking point with the little shit.

______

Caiti had finished up her last case checkup of the day, and was only a couple hours overtime.  But everyone, to her relief, was doing fine.  A few worried notes here and there, mostly about some of the newer children, but were minor causes of alarm.  

Slumping back into her car, she notices her phone has a new message alert on it.  

_Call me. - Jack_

Curiously typing in the man’s number, she listens as the phone begins dialing.  Within only the first few rings, the man picks up.  

"Caiti!  Glad you called me." he says in a sing-song type voice.

She smiles.  "What’s up Jack?  Do you need me for something?" she asks kindly.  

Jack chuckles on the other line.  "So I just got a call from Gus…  One I’ve been waiting on almost all day.  A call that made me leap for joy when I got it." he says excitedly.

_Gus?  Wait…  Did he tell Jack about my-_

"Listen, Caiti.  The single house thing isn’t happening anytime soon without another qualified HomeHunter parent.  Thinking back…  Maybe i was over-eager in my ideas on expansion.  So instead of wasting the money we’ve got and letting it sit and lose value, Geoff and I talked it over and want to invest in the future of our program as a whole." he says eagerly.

_Invest in the future?  Well, what’s that got to do with-_

Jack clears his throat.  "With that in mind…  We’d like to make a formal job offer.  For you to be the acting director of HomeHunters.  Or some other formal title, you can name yourself for all I care.  You’re already giving so much to our cause, it’s only natural that we want you to be a part of it full time." he says eagerly.

_Wait…  Did he just say…_

"Now I’m sure you want to discuss Salary, office space, or other things of that nature.  Well…  If you’d like, the two of us can negotiate all of that together whenever you’ve got a free moment.  Uh maybe dinner?  Or…  That might be too informal…  You could come by the house, but that’s just as…  Well, informal…  I suppose we could always-" the man says, now beginning to ramble cutely.

She chuckles.  "Jack." she says, in a harsh voice to gain his attention.

"Yes?" he replies almost immediately.

She smiles, feeling her heart flutter.  "I’ll take the job."

______

JJ painfully goes against his better judgement and enters Haywood’s house with him and dumbass.  His mother was going to be late picking him up from school, so Haywood offered him a ride to their house while he waited.  It was chilly outside, so he’d agreed to avoid freezing his ass off.

_Can’t wait to see this three ring circus.  I bet it’s a LOVELY home.  NOT._

As Ryan opens the door, however,  JJ’s eyes widen as three small children RUN towards them at mach speed from a window, one hugging Ryan’s legs tightly as another one pulls Miles away.

“Miles!  Miles!  I beat Ganondork!  What do I do now?  I wanna play another!” a little Hispanic boy in bright purple glasses says, jumping up and down. He looked incredibly happy and excited. 

“Ryan!  Ryan!  Monty drew me as Weiss and Michael as Weiss’s personal butler with a MUSTACHE!  You gotta come see it!  It’s SO cool!” a loudmouth blonde says, talking at a fast pace.  

A curly red haired boy stares at him darkly though a pair of small glasses.  He blinks once or twice, and finally folds his arms.  “Who are you?” he asks snarkily.  

Haywood pats the boy on the back, hefting the blonde one up into his arms.  “Michael, this is JJ.  I go to school with him.  He’s gonna stay here a few minutes until his mom comes and gets him.  Be nice to him, he’s a fragile little flower!” he says, snickering.  

JJ rolls his eyes and brushes past the kid.  “Haywood, what’s with the Brady Bunch?  I thought you were an only child, where’d all-”

“KIDDO!  Good to have you home.  How’d the contest go?” a loud man’s voice booms, standing up from the far side of the living room.  In a shaggy T-shirt and ridiculously looking pajama bottoms, combined with an unruly beard, he looked like a hobo.  

He puts down the blonde child, and his face grins.  “Hey Dad.  We lost, big time and we’re thinking Mr. Tate is going to cry himself to sleep tonight.  But hey, that’s just how it goes.  We did alright though in the second round.  Miles knew so many presidents that the other team almost crapped their pants” Haywood replies happily, hugging the man tightly, and turning back in JJ’s direction.  “Uh, that’s JJ who’s on the team with us, Mr. Tate dropped him off with us.  His mom’s coming to get him in just a few minutes.  I told him he could come in for a sec so he wouldn’t have to wait in the cold.  JJ, this is my dad Geoff.” he mutters.

“Geoff” makes his way to him, extending his hand, and revealing a disgusting set of tattoos down the entire length of his arm.  “Well, nice to meet you, JJ.  I’m Geoff, Ryan’s father.”  he says, with a pleasant enough expression on his face.  Reluctantly, JJ shakes the man’s hand, pulling it away at the first moment he could.  The man nods, turning his head back to Ryan.  "Hey, Barbie’s been waiting for you all night for your checkup.  She’s next door right now talking with Dan, so why don’t you run over right now so you two can have some privacy, ok?" he says, patting Haywood on the back.

"Ok Dad." he says, rubbing the blonde’s hair.  "I’ll check out Monty’s drawing when I get back, ok Gavin?" he says.  The boy pouts, but nods his head in somewhat painful agreement.  

JJ inhales deeply, looking around the entire house as he makes his way in beside Luna.  It was tiny, and smelled like something had burned in it.   

"What’s Haywood got to get a checkup for?  What, is Barbie a doctor or something?  He got some fungal crap or something?" JJ quirks smarmily, turning his gaze to Miles.  

The Hispanic boy, however, looks up at him.  "Barbie’s our HomeHunter agent!  She makes sure we’re happy and ok and like living here in our new home!  And we all do, so she doesn’t stay long.  We like it here!" he says cheerfully.  Miles rubs his face with his palm in response to that.

_HomeHunters?  Oh, is that the charity case thing for the screwed up kids?_

JJ gets a smug grin on his face.  “Wooow.  Well, this explains a LOT about Haywood.  I’m guessing all kids in here are screwed up rejects too?  Should I be on guard in case one attacks me?” he says, chuckling, turning back to Miles.  

Frowning, the small child looks up at Miles.  "Miles?  Am I screwed up?" he says pitifully, turning up at his classmate.

The idiot was smiling, and turned down to look at Ray.  "Absolutely not, JJ’s a dummy.  Hey Ray-Ray, why don’t you go ask your Daddy to plug in the PS2, and I’ll show you a game called Kingdom Hearts!  It’s really cool, and I bet you and Courtney would like it a lot!  But I’m gonna talk to JJ for JUST a minute, ok?" he says, patting the boy on the shoulders.  

"Ray" thinks nothing else of the conversation and makes his way back into the living room to talk to the “Geoff" he’d met earlier.  Miles grabs him by the shirt.  "Outside.  NOW." he says, pulling him through the back of the house hastily.  Once outside, he gets dragged to one of the sides, just before hitting the edge a large brown fence.

JJ snickers.  "Oh what?  Am I wrong?  Isn’t that what this little dog and pony show HomeHunters is for?  I bet his parents got sick of him being such a disgusting freak, am I right?  I mean Miles, come on, I know he’s your friend, but surely you noticed last year when Haywood-"       

Miles snags him by the neck and squeezes it tightly, cutting him off immediately from lack of oxygen.  “First of all, HE’S RYAN RAMSEY.  Get that through your thick skull, and QUIT calling him Haywood.  Have some common decency to get someone’s name right!  Secondly, he’s in foster care you idiot, not in some house for delinquents.  These people are NOT screwed up in the head AT ALL, they’re just normal kids who had a shitty home.  Everyone in this house has lived a fucked up life.  A life so bad that they had to be taken away from their parents, or didn’t even have parents in the first place.  So don’t you DARE tell them that they’re screwed up in the head, GOT IT?  They’ve got enough to worry about without your dumbass cracks.” Miles says menacingly, giving him an evil glare.  His classmate presses him tightly against the brick wall of the house.  His hand is still firmly gripping his neck, making it hard to breathe.  “And listen to me real close you piece of shit, because I’m ONLY going to say this once.  I don’t give a fuck what you say about me or Ryan or anyone with that pissy attitude of yours.  I really don’t, that’s how life works, people are assholes, I get it.  But don’t you EVER insult Ryan or those kids about this house or their lives.  Don’t you EVER make them feel bad or worthless, you hear me?  EVER!  If I hear so much as another PEEP out of your mouth tonight or when we get back to school next week, I’ll-”

“BARK” yelps a small dog.  

Turning both their heads, a tiny little puppy is growling at Miles angrily.  

“Edgar!  He’s an asshole, leave me alone, I’m just making my point across!” Miles retorts at the dog.  The animal does not stop growling, moving forward several steps, bearing his teeth at them.  

Miles sighs, rage leaving his body at an incredible rate.  “Whatever.  Fine.  Sorry.” he says, releasing JJ from the wall.  In an instant, the dog’s face melts into an adorable panting mess, and begins trotting their way.  

JJ breaths in and out slowly, attempting to catch his breath, falling to the ground on his knees.  Looking up, his classmate’s eyes were smoldering, not escaping his gaze anytime soon.  

He tries to take it all in, everything swarming in his head at once.  "F…Foster care?  Haywood is in…  Foster care?  Like…  The “I had really shitty parents" kind of foster care?" he stutters, face falling at the realization.  The little dog from earlier is now playfully jumping up at his face.

The boy nods.  "Yeah.  I guess I should have explained that first before I went full psycho.  Sorry, you sort of pissed me off today, I had a short trigger.  Anyway, yeah.  It’s foster care.  Sort of.  It’s basically these four kids who all had bad home lives.  Abuse, neglect, abandonment, that sort of thing." he says painfully.

_Y…  You’re kidding me._

"And listen, I’m sorry if I hurt you.  It’s just that this house and these people in it mean a lot to me, and I don’t want to ever see them hurt because they’re not a typical family.  Because they…  Because WE are.  We’re a family here."  Miles says firmly.

Sitting on his knees, the little dog jumps into his lap, trying desperately to get his attention.  Though JJ does not notice him, still caught up in his own thoughts.  "I…  I just thought he was a freak…  Like some weirdo that didn’t want to bathe…  or…  Who was just lazy.  He just slept in class all the damn time." he mutters.

Miles shakes his head.  "Nope, he’s not lazy and not a disgusting freak.  He just couldn’t help it.  Not until this summer anyway.  His parents were druggies, and he had to take care of them all night long every day.  No money, hardly any food, and nobody at all to take care of him.  I was his best friend and didn’t even know how bad he had it.  But eventually he got out, and  Mr. Ramsey took him in, adopted him and now he’s got a family he never had before.  One he really likes, and one that’s trying to make him happy for the first time in his life.  And then there are people like you who keep trying to screw it all up." he says, taking a seat next to JJ.  

Edgar licks him on the face as he creates a stepping point for him to grab onto with his arms.  His face is cold, heart heavy, and mind completely blown.  "Why…  Why didn’t he tell anyone?  Why not just tell me to shove it?   I mean, I knew he got mad at me and other people for ripping on him and stuff, but I…  I would have stopped…" he says.  

JJ’s face is haunted, every interaction with Haywood going through his head.  Every word, every insult, and every nasty thing he’d said about him behind his back.

Miles shrugs.  "Well, at first, he really couldn’t.  I mean, he was trying to keep his parents a secret from everyone.  I’m sure he was ashamed of them, I would be too, but then I’m sure he didn’t want them in jail either.  But now that it’s out?  He doesn’t want any special treatment.  Ryan just wants for people to like him for him, not because he’s got a sob story and win their attention out of pity.  It’s why the school, me and Kerry don’t say anything, and why I’m hoping you’ll keep your damn mouth shut about what you saw here tonight.  He’s got 7 years of a bad reputation at school to make up for.  Ryan does NOT need anything else added on top of it." he says pleadingly.  

JJ nods.  "Yeah…  I-"    

The back door swings open, Geoff popping his head out. “Hey JJ, your mom’s car is waiting-…  Boys, is everything ok out here?" Geoff asks, looking them over, his stance firming as he looks them over curiously.

He sits the dog down, and returning to his feet.  "Yes sir.  Miles was just showing me your dog.  It’s real cute." JJ says reluctantly.  He brushes past the two of them, making his way through the household and picking up his bag.  Trying his hardest not to look at the other kids in the house, he almost ignores Ryan as he walks in from the front door.

"JJ?  You ok?" he asks, likely seeing his broken expression.

He exits the house, but turns back around, looking at Ryan square in the face.  "Yeah.  I’m perfect Ryan.  I love losing in the only thing I’m involved in.  I’m going to go home and celebrate with a big cake, how do you think I feel?" he replies sarcastically, pushing past him without a second thought.

Though before he exits, he pats Ryan on the shoulder.  "Later…  Ramsey.  See you at school Monday.  Have a good weekend." he says, shutting the door behind him quickly.

__________

Wiping his wet hair with a towel and fresh from the shower, Miles collapsed on the couch.  Feeling the stress of the day washed away from him, feeling free in his nightclothes he knew the coming weekend would be a godsend.  At least now with Quiz Bowl over, he could focus back on school and towards helping Ray out in Kingdom Hearts.  Though Michael wanted help too, the boy couldn’t beat that stupid cow in Goldenrod.  Maybe he could stay up that night and work on some things for them.  Grind Michael’s Pokemon up a bit, maybe catch him something rare.

Though before he could do any of that, Gavin waddles into the living room, already in his PJ’s.  "Miles!  Monty wanted me to give you this.  He says read it before your bedtime, ok!?  He says its important!" he says cutely, handing a small envelope to him.  

Miles grinned.  "Why thank you Gavin!  I appreciate it!" he says, ruffling the boy’s hair a bit.  Cracking the letter open, he unfolds it immediately..

Scanning it over, he sees impeccably good handwriting in dark black ink covering an entire two pages of fancy golden-colored paper.

_Dear Miles,_

_There are some things in life that can’t be expressed in person.  Embarrassment, pride, communication errors, or just body language in general gets in the way of the overall message.  To me, a letter is the best way to tell someone exactly how you feel.  I know we’re seeing each other tomorrow, and you might feel a little weird after reading this, but I really feel like I need to say this._

_So here goes:_

_Miles, you are a truly remarkable individual.  In the last several days of spending time with your new family, I’ve seen a teenage boy be one of the most selfless men I’ve ever met in my life.  I don’t mean that as an empty compliment.  I never say anything I don’t mean, it’s a waste of time and effort.  So I hope you believe me when I say this._

_Everything Geoff and Burnie has told me about you is absolutely true.  You’re a dedicated person who works hard for his friends, if your academic club was any indication.  You are kind and generous, giving things to those that have nothing, like your games to the little ones.  You are thoughtful, being a friend to one who nobody tried to understand, with little Ray.  You work hard for the things you are passionate about, like your books._

_You may not see this for yourself, but I do._

_I am unaware of the circumstances that led you into this home and away from your family.  Geoff respects your privacy, and it’s none of my business to poke into your affairs.  But I can only assume it is part of the reason why you feel the way you do.  If that is the case, I hope you know that you are the kind of man that can overcome any adversity._

_In short:_

_Miles, you matter.  You matter to a lot of people._

_And someday, when you’re older, wiser, and with knowledge and skill of the film or animation industry that you love so much?  And if you’re still the amazing person you are today?  There is nobody else in this world I’d rather have working for me, no matter the capacity.  You may consider this a pending job offer from the Burns Production Company once you have finished your education (secondary or otherwise) and have shown me the fruits of your knowledge.  I’ve made a similar offer to Kerry and to Ryan._

_An offer to my three biggest fans, and people who I truly respect in this world._

_So work hard, stay true to who you are, and know that Monty Oum believes in you.  To quote one o my favorite shows:_

_"Believe in me who believes in you."_

_Sincerly,_

_Oum_

He feels as a small body rests beside his, hugging him on the side.  "Bruv, why are you crying?  Are you sad?  I’ve got a teddy bear you can sleep with and talk to if you’re sad!" Gavin says, looking up at him with tiny little concerned eyes.   

Miles looks down at him.  "What’d you call me? " he asks, wiping his tears away, attempting to smile and laugh away the awkwardness.

Gavin grins.  "Bruv!  That’s what I call all my big brothers like Isaac and Ryan!  Ray says you’re his bestest friend and big brother, so you’re mine too, right?  Michael says you wouldn’t care, cuz your real nice.  I can call you that  right?  Is that ok?  Please?" he asks concerned.

Looking back down at the paper, he feels his heart beating out of his chest.  His head is swimming, and tears in his face.  There’s a wave of energy rushing through his body, all which goes straight to his mouth, causing him to smile uncontrollably.  "Gavin, you call me WHATEVER you want little buddy." he says, hugging the kid back.

"Awww…  That’s so cute I think I’m gonna die!" Ryan jokingly comments from the hallway, holding a very happy looking Edgar in his hands.  

He looks at his friend, the person who’d made his current life possible.  The boy had a letter in his hand as well.  "So…  Did you read this too?  Think he’s serious?  Or maybe he’s just being nice?" Ryan asks, holding up a red letter in white handwriting.  

Miles nodded his head.  "Yeah…  Yeah, I think he is."

_So maybe I’m not worthless after all._

————————-

A jingling of keys ceases as a door is opened to Cameron’s dorm room.  It had a cold white laminate flooring, a cheap wooden desk and dresser, a wobbling nightstand and a pitifully small bed.  Adorning the walls were a few posters from shows he liked, and his piles of books, binders and notes were scattered messily over the place in no particular order.   

_Welcome home…_

Looking over at the dresser next to his bed, Cameron smiled.  Staring at the framed photographs that took up the entire space of it, he looked into each one intently, taking in the dorky smiles and happy expressions washing over the faces.  Mishi, his late foster-sister, with her head peeking playfully out of a book.  His mother and father Garcia, hugging each other tightly, with a newborn Cameron in their arms.  Grandma Garcia with decades of wrinkles washed over her face, with a small two year old Cameron in her lap. A small tube was wrapped around her face and inserted into the nostrils to assist her in breathing.  His Aunty and Uncle Garcia, with him standing out from her six other children.  Mom and Dad Collins, with their wrinkly faces trying to keep up with him in the park at eight years old.  Then finally, Isaac in his varsity jacket, holding Gavin upside down in his arms at the park.  Both of them with the goofiest smiles they could muster for him.  

Those photos were the people of his life.  Those who were gone and never coming back.  And the few that hadn’t left him.  

Sighing, he closes his eyes and shakes his head.  “Hey Sissy…  Hey Mama…  Papa…  Grandma…  Isaac…  Sorry I’m late tonight.  Long meeting with the PI, and then I went to Mom and Dad’s place for dinner.  Stopped by to see Gavin for a second too, but it was late and he was already sleepy.  Then finals are coming up soon too, so I should probably be studying.  Next semester is practice teaching too, so…  I should probably…” he says, yawning loudly as his body hits the dorm’s hard bedding.  

He lets out a big sigh.  “Soon.  I’ll be out soon guys.  Then I can start teaching, be closer to Gavin and start my own life.  Though, really, I just want want to move back home.  I hate being so far away from everything.  But maybe next winter things will be better when I come down with Casey every week.  Assuming Gavin wants that…  But I think he will.  At least…  I hope he will.  I shudder to think of a world without his or your voices Isaac!" he says, smiling gently.       

Grabbing up at his dresser, he snags the photo of Isaac and Gavin, staring at it angrily.

Cameron shakes his head, hands grasping the frame tightly.  “It’s not fair Isaac.  You little shit, you promised me…  You promised me we’d…  We’d be together, and I believed that, you know!  Days of music, laughter, each other’s company, and getting Gavin away from your batshit insane mother.  There was NOTHING in this world I looked more forward to doing you know!  I fucking gave up my dreams of BROADWAY for god’s sake.  I didn’t want it anymore, I had something better!  I HAD YOU!  I FORGOT all the shit in my life Isaac, and I was HAPPY.  I stopped thinking about people DYING around me all the damn time, and began to think that MAYBE I could open my heart back up to someone.  That maybe I’m not some fucking cursed child from hell that brings misery to people’s lives!" he screams, choking back a small sob, maintaining his composure.  "From middle school to high school..   That’s all I got Isaac.  Seven or eight MEASLY years.  I didn’t even have the fucking courage to say I loved you till ninth grade.  So make that FOUR.” he says in a rage-induced stupor.

Flipping into a sitting position, he stares a hole into the picture.  “But don’t you worry Isaac.  I’m not a whiny kid anymore that just takes it and tries to forget the pain by watching TV for hours.  Nope.  I’m not just gonna sit back, cry and hope for the best to come someday.  No!  Fuck that, Isaac.  I’ll find who did this to you, and I’ll make them pay.  Because goddammit, I’m sick of losing people and having no power over it.  Mom and Dad are going to help me with paying for it, they know exactly how I feel.  So I’ll find them, and make sure they rot as long as they can in jail.  Or if we can’t convict like Shannon says?  I’ll make sure they know exactly how much they made Gavin and I suffer.  I’ll let EVERYONE they know and love find out exactly what they did.  That they killed you and ran the fuck away like the cowardly piece of shit they were.  Because like hell is that person or their family going to get a fairytale ending.” he scathes brutally.

-

Far away, inside the HomeHunter house, Edgar is sleeping peacefully atop Michael’s head.  His eyes flitter open, and big ears pop up.  

And he begins to whine painfully.


	19. Kerry's Family

The Austin junior high cafeteria was full to the brim with loud, mostly obnoxious preteens and young adults.  While not overcrowded, it did not account for many free spaces in the cramped eating area.  But it wasn’t uncommon for cliques to have their own typical spaces to sit at.  In true adolescent fashion, Ryan, Kerry and Miles had been sitting in the same spot since the very first day of school.  

So it was with confusion that one familiar, yet out of place, friend had been joining them more and more frequently.  

Ryan bit off another large chunk of his hamburger, looking directly across from him.  JJ, in his usual gaudy headphones, was drowning out the irritating noise surrounding them.  Laying his head against the palm of his hand, he looked bored, almost tired looking.  Then again, he hadn’t sat with his popular friends since after the Quiz Bowl defeat, so Ryan wondered if they’d had a falling out. 

Finally, his curiosity had the best of him.  Putting down his food, he eyes him seriously, raising an eyebrow.  ”JJ, not that I’m complaining, but I’ve got to ask…  Why are you hanging out with us all the damn time?  Didn’t you hate me a few weeks ago?  I mean, weren’t your EXACT words that you “couldn’t believe how a miscreant like myself made it into Tate’s good graces”?  And I know you and Miles have NEVER been friends, so…  What gives?” Ryan asks plainly, turning the attention of his friends towards the boy.

JJ gives him a disinterested look at first, but puts on a smug grin quickly.  ”Yes Ramsey, I sure did.  But you see, compared to the rest of the horribly stupid masses that I’m surrounded by in this godforsaken school?  You’re not bad.  In fact, I’d say you’re…  Well…  Tolerable.  Besides, my usual friends are so fucking uptight all the damn time.  You guys are…  Well, you’re chill.  You literally give zero fucks, and I appreciate that in people.” He says sarcastically at first, but face softening mid-rant.  Removing his headphones, he turns to Kerry.  ”God, Shawcross, what have you been writing all day?!  You have been completely tuning out of EVERYTHING today.  I swear Tate was shooting you daggers.” He says nervously, clearly wishing to change the subject.

Ryan gives him a peculiar look, but doesn’t press the issue.

Taking his gaze away from the quickly filling notebook, Kerry rejoins the living.  ”Huh?” He replies cluelessly.  Ryan took a look at the notebook he was working in.  It was filled, page to page with notes, bullets and what looked like doodles of…  His brothers?

JJ flicks him on the head, getting the boy to look at him with a pouting face.  ”Dude, what the hell is so interesting that you’re a zombie?  Are you writing a goddamn memoir or re-writing War and Peace?” He asks sarcastically.

Kerry smiles, turning away from JJ, staring back down at the notebook.  ”Uh, no…  Just something I do in my spare time.  It’s kind of like a book.  Well, that the goal anyway.  It’s not near done, but…  Well, I guess I’ve been inspired lately.  Just want to write it all down in note form so I don’t forget.  And…  It’s been a crazy last couple of weeks, so I especially wanted to get everything down perfectly.” He replies dreamily.  

Kerry’s face is soft, relaxed and smiling.  Ryan smiled himself, the tense feeling he’d had about Kerry finally gone.  His friend had really been much more at ease lately, since Halloween.  Even better, he started coming over to his house a lot more lately, FINALLY.  It just wasn’t right not having him there.    

Miles perks his ears up at the discussion of the book, pulling his eyes away from the same girl he’d been obsessing over for weeks.  ”Kerry!  Did you finish your chapter yet?  You said it was gonna get done soon!” He comments excitedly.

Ryan grins, staring him down with squinted eyes.  ”Yeah!  Come on, share it already! We got our embarrassing, tragic back-stories done and written about!  Where is yours?” The man harps.

Turning back to Kerry, JJ cocks a half smile.  ”Whatcha writing about Shawcross?  You and your friends?” He inquires.  Ryan’s face blanks as JJ’s tone was actually….  Quite pleasant, almost…  Genuinely interested.

Kerry blushes.  ”Uh…  Well, I don’t know if they’d want me talking about it…  It’s kind of…  Um, personal.” He mutters, closing the cover of his notebook tightly.

Shaking his head, Miles gives him a thumbs up.  ”Actually, he already knows all about us.  So just read it to us!  We don’t care, I’m sure he doesn’t either.” he says casually, returning his gaze to the nearby table once more. 

Turning to his friend, Ryan gives Miles a squinted look.  ”What do you mean he knows all about us?  MILES?!” he asks angrily.  

Panicked, Miles’s face turns sheet white.  Realizing what he’d said, he turns back to Kerry.  ”READ IT!  NOW.  NOT LATER, NOW! “

While Ryan fake-chokes Miles, and as JJ begins snorting into his over sized hoodie, Kerry pulls a messenger bag from the floor.   Shuffling through the neatly organized content, he pulls out a stack of twenty or so single spaced pages, stapled and bound like a tiny script.  

Kerry clears his throat, gaining the attention of the three friends around him.  ”I’ll skip the boring introductions and me being a whiny asshat and get to the good part first, ok?” he asks rhetorically, ignoring the protests of his friends.  

“The Halloween air was chill that evening.  After the excitement of Gusto’s attacker, the HomeHunters retired for the evening.  Beginning the long walk back to their tiny home, the sandy blonde finds a spare moment with his idol, chattering ceaselessly…”

-

(Halloween, Several Weeks Ago)

While they hadn’t traveled a long distance for trick or treating, the return back home was taking longer than usual.  Mr. Sorola was walking awkwardly, being supported by Ryan and Miles, swearing like a sailor left and right.  Kerry couldn’t help but shy away from the rather loud man.  Alongside that, the children were in a state of pure excitement, incredibly wild and unruly.  It was probably the endless stream of candy that Mr. Heyman’s mother had been sneaking the children all evening.

So while Geoff called the authorities to report the incident, and while the other adults tended to the hyper kids?  This left Kerry ample time to speak with Monty, who wasn’t a fan of overly loud situations himself.

"….so I think the biggest thing people forget is how SMALL our studio actually was up until Dead Fantasy III.  Back in those days, we didn’t have the millions of dollars that the big production studios had.  It was me, Burnie, and a staff of overworked, underpaid and underappreciated voice actors and animators.  So yeah, OF COURSE the first Dead Fantasy Movie had animation errors and a few bugs!  But hell, we had to make money on it if we wanted to do more of it and work on other projects, so YEAH some things got rushed out the door for the sake of deadlines and budget.  People just honestly don’t appreciate the underlying accounting and budgeting involved in production!  And damn if I didn’t get hundreds of messages a day asking why the movie was only thirty minutes long.  WE KNEW IT WAS SHORT, WE DID NOT WANT IT THAT WAY.  I was like, WE KNOW, WE FUCKING KNOW, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF YOU TELLING US THIS DAILY!  Give us a movie or two and we’ll fix the problems in time when we have more money, time and staff! " he says in an annoyed, stressed tone of voice.  

Shaking his head, Monty chuckles.  ”Sorry, sore spot from the past.  What was I talking about?” he asked Kerry.  

Coming back to earth, Kerry snorts.  ”I asked about your writers and what they had to do to get into that industry.  That’s kind of what I want to do in the future since I’m a writer.” He says meekly.  Kerry hadn’t been fanboying as hard as Miles had, but it was still weird to see…. HIM there.

Monty gives him a happy look.  ”You’re a writer?  Already at your age?  That’s way cool!  What do you like to write?” He asks in a genuine wonderment.  

Laughing, Kerry clasps his hands together, contracting them back and forth nervously.  ”Well…  I do really bad general fanfics, but lately I’ve been trying to write a book.  A story I really want to tell from my own life and from the lives of those who are close to me.  A story about the courageous people that have…  Well, inspired me as a person.” he says proudly.

Monty stops walking, and Kerry turns back to him, with a blank look.  ”You’re writing a book?  You’re what, thirteen?  How far have you gotten?” he asks in bewilderment, mouth agape.

Frowning, Kerry sighs.  ”Well…  Uh…  About three full chapters?  I started back this August…  One for Ryan, Miles and then Mr. Ramsey too.  I’ve got about half of six other chapters, and barely started on one of them.  I could have more done, I just recently…  Well, never mind, that’s personal.” he mutters to himself.

Grinning, Monty finally closes his mouth.  ”Wow.  That’s impressive.  Could I read the one of the full ones?  Burnie took my toys away before I came out here, so I’m going to be bored at 3 AM when I’m wide awake and craving work.  I’d love to see what you’ve written.” he replies sincerely.

Shaking his head, Kerry chuckles.  ”Mr. Oum, I uh…  I’m not really any good, don’t waste your time with it..  And…  Well…  I really just haven’t felt like writing a lot lately, so it might not get finished anyway.” he says, frowning.  

Monty’s eyebrow rises, giving him a peculiar look.  ”Why not?” he asks in a hurt tone.

Kerry sighs.  ”Well, it’s just…  I don’t want to be like my….  Oh goodness, don’t let me waste your time with my stupid story Mr. Oum, I-“

Shooting him an irritated look, Monty silences him in an instant.  ”Call me Mr. Oum one more time, and I’m going to smack you over the head with Crescent Rose.  Call me Monty, ok?  And furthermore, you’re not wasting my time.  I came here to meet my fans and relax.  My blood pressure is atrocious, so PLEASE tell me something to get my mind off work, I would appreciate it.  Besides, I like hearing people talk.  It is our interactions with others that guide how we learn, change and grow in life.  I’d love to have the opportunity to learn from you and your situation.” he says in a zen-like tone.  

Reluctantly, Kerry puts hands into his pants pockets.  Hiding behind his red shaded glasses, he looks away from the man beside him.  ”It’s…  My father.  He’s why I don’t want to write anymore.  Long story short is that he’s a scumbag who left me and my mom, and I don’t want to be anything like him in my life.  And I mean ANYTHING.  I found out recently that he used to love writing and English in school when he was my age.  Even though it’s what I love doing in life, and what I want to do with my future…  I’m just scared that…  I’m going to end up just like him.  It’s already in my blood and genetics, right?  I mean, I LOOK just like him for crying out loud!  Jesus Christ, add a hundred pounds and grow a beard and we’d be TWINS!  What if I start acting like him too?  What if I break someone’s heart and just LEAVE them like they’re nothing!?  What if I just up and abandon people in my life who are important to me because I get sick of them, and want something easier?  What if…  What if I have to give up on my DREAM just because I-“

Monty grasps him on the shoulder, cutting off his endless rambling.  Chuckling, he shakes his head, barely having caught half of it for the speed in which Kerry spoke.  ”That’s a lot of what if’s crawling around in your head.  Most of them are bad ones too.” he mutters bluntly.  

Turning back up at the man, Kerry realizes he’s out of breath.  His chest is aching, feeling every pump of his heart throughout his body.

_I’ve never told anyone that.  OH MY GOD, I JUST SPILLED MY WHINY GUTS TO A COMPLETE STRANGER!  SOMEONE I ADMIRE!  GOD FUCKING DAMMIT YOU MORON!  HAVE YOU FLIPPED YOUR LID?_

Kerry blushes, and attempts to hide his face.  His entire body is tense, and with the realization that he can NEVER take back the words he just vomited all over Monty like a crazy person?  Like a turtle, he attempts to withdraw his neck into his shirt.

Monty, however, just casually pulls him into a hug.  “Sounds to me like…  You’re fearful of a future where you “become” your father.  Acting as though you have no say in this matter, and it’s something that you can’t control.  As if…  You’re trapped by a fate that you cannot escape from.  And that, I can promise you, is far from the truth Kerry.” Monty says firmly, gripping him on the shoulder more tightly.

Blinking a few times, Kerry turns back to face the man, bewildered that he’s actually talking to him about it.

Mr. Oum looks up into the starry sky, eyes and face relaxing.  “You know, if I had no control over my life, and who I became?  If I had to follow some strict path based on my genetics, heritage or family?  I guarantee I wouldn’t be the person I am today.  Really, if someone as…  Lowly as ME as I was in my youth can get through life being true to myself?  Someone dedicated, able, and strong like you can do it, no problem.” He says, smiling gently.

Kerry looked down at his feet, frowning.  “But, I…”

Monty released him from the earlier hug.  He now stares directly into the boy’s head, wishing he would face him again.  “Can I give you some life advice?  Something I learned a long time ago, and something that I keep close to my heart?  It helped me through rough times, when things were at their worst…” he said, in a light tone.

He nods quickly, but still doesn’t turn his gaze forward.  

The man squats down, looking into the boy’s eyes.  “Our destiny is not something made of chance.  It is something made of choice.  Where we end up in this life?  How we live our lives?  It is all by the choices we make.”

He rose his head, looking into Monty’s face.  It was relaxed, sincere, and smiling.

Monty smiled.  “So as long as you make the right choices in life, and know that what you’re choosing is a way towards the path you want to take in the end?  You have nothing to worry about.  So have confidence in your decisions, and believe in yourself and the future.”

Kerry shakes his head.  “But I…  What I want is…  It’s so far away, and…  Even if I don’t become the man he was…  I might never make it as a writer.  So why even waste my time with it?” He says, sadly, looking at Monty with a helpless expression.

Mr. Oum frowns.  “I know that.  I know that better than anyone, but…  If it’s something you really love in life, you can’t give up.  You can’t EVER give it up.  Maybe have a backup in place should things not work out, but…  Have some faith in yourself.  If you’re already writing a book at this age, just think how much you can grow as a writer by the time you’re eighteen!  Work hard at your craft, and dedicate to yourself to it fully, and  you can make anything happen, trust me.“ he finishes.

Finally gathering his strength, Kerry manages a smile.  “Really?  That’s not just some corny stuff that adults say?”

Monty nods.  “Absolutely 100% true.  Sure, some of it is corny stuff that adults say.  Just wishing for something isn’t enough, and following a dream doesn’t mean squat by itself.. But if you follow through with it, take active steps towards it, and put your entire body into it?  Yes.  Yes you can make your future come true.” He says sternly.  The strong and sincere voice made Kerry believe the words coming from his mouth.

Moving forward once more, Monty quickly begins moving towards the now disappeared group they had been with.  “Come on.  I want your book.  I want to see your soul, and the words that such a thoughtful child could produce.” He says loudly.

Again, Kerry blushes, realizing that Monty still wanted to…..

_Oh dear god, he was serious.  He wants to read the ramblings of a crazy person…_

_-_

(Early November)

Kerry groggily managed to open his eyes.  Having stayed the weekend over at Ryan’s house, recovering from the nightmare of Quiz Bowl, he was woken up by the sounds of animated cut scenes, a class A orchestra and a timeless JRPG dialog being played out before him.  Oh, and the loud voices of small children, of course.  

Ray gasped, hopping up and down on his bottom.  ”Riku, don’t trust her!  She’s evil!  Evil!  SHE’S GOT HORNS YOU DUMMY!” he screams.  

Raising himself up to a sitting position on the living room couch, he sees Ray playing a video game, Gavin watching intently beside him.  ”Ray, is Kairi going to be ok?  She’s just sleeping, right?  Sora will save her, right?  I want her and Sora to be happy!  Even if they are never together, they still love each other, right?” Gavin asks worriedly, covering his eyes. 

After wiping away the after sleep from his eyes, Kerry stretches out.  Smiling, he’s amazed that kids that young could play a game like Kingdom Hearts and get so emotionally invested in the plot.  Though watching Ray cut through an entire room of heartless in less than 10 seconds with a stunning use of combos and advanced techniques, he was more impressed the way Miles had been training the next gaming prodigy.    

_Good grief…  And I thought Miles was a maniac at that game…_

Geoff chuckles from behind him, rubbing Kerry’s hair playfully.  ”Morning kiddo, sorry if the boys woke you up, I asked them to keep it down, but you know how that is.  You can go sleep in my room if you’re still tired, I don’t mind.  I know you three stayed up late playing games and talking about stuff.” He says nicely.  

Kerry shakes his head.  ”Nah, I’m ok, thanks though…” He manages to say mid-yawn.  

Michael pops in from the back yard, dog in tow behind him.  ”Good boy!” He says happily, petting the dog’s head happily.  Walking him to a nearby box of Dog Bones, Kerry watches as Michael feeds him a tiny dog treat.  The dog gobbles it down quickly, pouncing up and hugging Michael’s leg.  

.”Thank you Michael.  I appreciate you taking care of Edgar every morning, I’m sure he does too!” He says, moving towards the kitchen to refill his mug of coffee.  

Michael shrugs.  ”Whatever, I promised him.  Not a big deal.” He says non nonchalantly.  

Frowning, Kerry sighs, face falling at Mr. Ramsey’s words.  

_I guess that’s just what every dad does.  Use their kids for free labor.  I mean, I guess Mr. Ramsey’s different, but still…_

Michael takes a seat next to Kerry, Edgar joining them soon after.  The two turn their attention directly to the game, engrossed in it as much as Ray and Gavin were.  “RAY!    YOU MISSED ONE!  GET HIM!  THE SCARY ONE, WITH THE BAD TEETH!” he screeching, pointing angrily at the screen.  

Ray nods, and quickly dispatches the foe with nary a care.  As the boys calm down, Kerry turns to Michael.  ”Does Geoff make you take care of Edgar all by yourself?   I’m sorry..” He asks curiously, feeling a twinge of remorse for the boy.  

Michael shakes his head.  ”No.  Daddy says he’d do it, but I wanna.  Daddy cooks breakfast for us, and Jackie helps us get ready for school.  Ryan is a sleepy head, and Ray plays his games to beat Miles.  And I don’t wanna make Gavin do it.  I just love Edgar, and want to help my family, that’s all.” He says, turning his attention towards Ray’s TV screen.  

Taken aback, Kerry blinks a few times.  ”Oh…  Well, does Geoff-“

Geoff plops down right next to Michael, smiling.  ”Kiddo, you wanna go do something today?  Ryan’s got his friends over, and Gavin’s all caught in Ray’s game this week, so maybe we could so something just me and you?” He asks happily, giving him a sincere look.  

Michael nods.  ”Can we go to the arcade?  I wanna play those old people games!” He suggests, 

Geoff nods his head.  ”Sure!  Go shower and get dressed, we’ll go after breakfast.  We’ll meet everyone back home for lunch, and go eat dinner with uncle Burnie and Monty.  Sound good?” He asks.

Jumping from the couch, Michael sits Edgar on Kerry’s lap.  ”Ok daddy!  Kerry, pet him for me please?  We’ll talk more later.” the boy requests politely, hopping off excitedly to the hallway.  

Petting the dog in his lap there are a few moments of awkward silence between him and Geoff.  

Clearing his throat, Geoff runs the back of his neck.  ”So how’s your mom doing Kerry?  Work going good for her?” He asks, starting the least favorite of Kerry’s pastimes.  Small talk.

_Oh lord…  I have nothing in common with this man…  I’m a nerd, and this is the guy mom called the king of punks!_

Nodding politely, he smiles.  ”Yeah, she’s doing really good.  Busy, but good.  Her work keeps her out until about nine or ten on a good night.  But she loves it, and has never been happier….” Kerry states proudly.  His face beams, glad to have someone like her in his life.  

Geoff whistles amazingly.  ”Wow…  That is insane!  But Eleana’s always been like that…  Great woman, hard worker!” he says, taking another swig of coffee.  Though as he does, his face scrunches.  ”Well, good grief Kerry, if she works that late, where on earth do you go?” he questions, giving him a look of pure disbelief. 

He shrugs.  ”I walk home from school, it’s not that far.  I read, write, watch tv.  Get online, do homework.  You know…  Regular stuff.” Kerry admits, still only half-paying attention to Mr. Ramsey.  It was normal, not a big deal.

Geoff shakes his head.  ”No way!  Kerry!  Why don’t you just come here until the evenings and hang out?  You know you’re welcome here, right?” He says, completely shocked, almost…  Disgusted?

Putting up his hands, Kerry laughs. “That’s fine, please don’t worry about-“

Ryan walks into the room, groaning. “Daaad…  Why does nobody in this family appreciate the idea of sleeping in on Saturdays?  Or at all?  I swear, I’m the only normal person in this whole house…” he says, yawning loudly. 

Standing up, Geoff yanks Kerry to his feet.  ”Ryan!  Do you not invite Kerry to come stay with us after school when his mom works late every night?  Did you know he goes home all by himself and stays there?!” he says, shaking his head incredulously.

Doing a double take, Ryan’s face wakes up instantly.  He turns his gaze directly at Kerry.  ”WHAT?  Dude, you said your mom came and picked you up!” he yells angrily.  

Turning his head to the side, Kerry sighs.  

_"Well, Geoff, he did offer a few times, but…I didn’t want to bother you or the kids.  Your family is so busy and large, I didn’t want to get in the way or be a bother.  Besides, I don’t really belong here…" he admits, laughing it off again._

But as he’s about to say the words aloud, a familiar voice echos in his head. 

_“Our destiny is not something made of chance.  It is something made of choice.  Where we end up in this life?  How we live our lives?  It is all by the choices we make.”_

Kery shakes his head.

“ _It is all by the choices we make.”_

Looking up at Mr. Ramsey, he gulps.  ”Um…  Well, if you really don’t mind, I’d…  I’d love to come over and hang out.  But only if I’m not in the way!” he asks, honestly.  

_I choose…  I choose to want to be a part of them.  And be their friend, as long as I CAN!_

Kerry’s heart races, and a nervous feeling comes over his entire body.

Ryan slaps his own face.  ”Good god, it’s like pulling teeth with you two.  You REALLY think I’d ever think you were in the way?  After EVERYTHING I’ve been through, and how you and Miles stood by me?  Good grief, for someone so smart, you’re an idiot.” he groans, rubbing his face painfully.

Geoff, eerily close to the same way, slaps his own face.  ”I swear, kids were NEVER this polite when I was growing up.  They just did what they wanted and to hell with the consquences.  Must be a generational thing.” he groans, rubbing his face painfully.

As if on cue, the two of them raise their heads, and they both turn to him.

Ryan’s father finally chuckles.  ”You are not in the way.  You’re as much a part of our family as anyone.  Besides, you’re a great kid.” he mutters, patting him on the shoulder.

Kerry smiles.  ”Thank you.” he mutters, feeling rather emotional about the whole thing.  ”I-“

"NOOO!  RIKU!  GIVE SORA HIS KEYBLADE BACK!  DONALD!  GOOFY!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!  HE’S YOUR FRIEND!  WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE HIM!  OH MY GOODNESS!  GAVIN!  THIS IS THE WORST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED, EVER!" Ray screams angrily, Gavin’s face shattered, hiding in Ray’s shoulder.

They all turn to the utterly shell shocked boys and girls, and the three of them snort.

As Geoff walks over to the kitchen to start cooking, and as Ryan rushes to the only other bathroom in the house, Kerry joins the two heartbroken lads.

Ray turns to Kerry as he sits.  “KERRY!  You played this game, right?!  Is everything gonna be ok!?  Sora looks so SAD!  HIS FRIENDS LEFT HIM, THE BIG DUMMIES!” he rages, clearly upset.

Kerry smiles, sitting next to the two boys, hugging their heartbroken faces.  “Well guys…  I don’t wanna spoil it for you, buuuuuut….” he says slyly, turning to look as Miles wanders into the living room.   “Real friends…  Don’t ever leave you behind…” he mutters fondly. 

-

Dinner with Mr. Burns on his and Monty’s last night was probably Kerry’s favorite.  Sat atop a picnic table, out in the nearby park next to the HomeHunters house, he was huddled in a warm hoodie.  Next to Mr. Oum, he was enjoying his company very much.  Though as he popped in another sushi rolls he’d been provided, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight on the picnic table next to his.  While he was shoveling it in quickly, Ryan, Miles and the other three boys were looking at their food with skeptical expressions, sharing nervous expressions with each other.  Geoff was shooting daggers at Burnie, Jack attempting to keep the peace between the two.

Monty laughs.  “I guess not everyone enjoys fine cuisine.  Then again, I suppose Geoff isn’t the sort of person to like things other than steak and potatoes” he comments jokingly, Kerry laughing at it.  As there’s a short silence between them as they continue to eat, interrupted as Monty pulls out a familiar looking bundle of papers from his carry-on.  “And..  I read your chapter.  The one about Ryan.  Then I had to continue, so I read Miles’s too.” he says softly.

Kerry’s heart stops, and he almost chokes on his food.  “O…oh!?  Well…  Uh….” he stammers, turning to look at the man.  He plops the papers in between them, and Kerry notices that the work has been scribbled on.

"You’re not perfect, by any sense of the word." Monty says bluntly.  

Kerry’s face falls, the warmth being let out of his body.  A chill runs through him.

Monty shakes his head.  ”You write in run ons often.  I found myself straining to breathe while reading aloud, and lost myself sometimes in your dialog.  Don’t be afraid to shorten your sentences and be more direct in how you write.  You also have words that you use far too frequently, and you are in DIRE need of a Thesaurus.  Furthermore, you have this horrible habit of using commas awkwardly.” he says, returning to his meal, but still commenting further. 

Kerry sighs, drowning out the criticism.    

_Yeah..  I get it.  I suck.  Runs in the family._

"….and if you stopped using so many thought verbs, you could probably add to the length of your works significantly.  And your descriptions would improve dramatically as well." He finishes, handing Kerry back his first draft from the middle of the table.  The paper was littered with red marks and comments.  “I made notes for you.  I thought you might like to see exactly what I was talking about." Monty says, patting him on the back.

Nodding his head, Kerry fakes a smile.  ”Well Monty, thank you.  I’m sorry I wasted your time like that.  I told you it was no good though and-“

Monty shushes him, waving his hands in an animated fashion.  ”I didn’t get to the praise yet!  I have to give you credit Mr. Shawcross!  I mean, it was pretty awesome, mistakes and all, I just want to see you get better!” He says happily.

_Praise?_

After gulping down a generous helping of Starbucks that was sitting next to him, Monty grins.  ”Kerry, you write with such emotion and feeling!  I felt like I was there, and genuinely had empathy for these characters.  The situations these people found themselves in were truly touching, and you were able to bring that to life!  It’s honestly not what I usually read or work with, but it was still refreshing to see a different perspective on the world outside of fantasy or sci-fi. I expect you to send me every chapter, you hear?  I want to know more about everyone!  My e-mail’s on the last page of each chapter, so shoot me stuff whenever you want.  It may take me a week or more to get back to you, but I swear I will.” He says giddily.  

Kerry’s mouth drops, and he soon lacks the ability to blink.  Finally, his body begins prickling from numbness, feeling the cold November air rushing over him.  

_Wait…  He wants to read MY stuff?_

Monty catches his bewildered expression, and has a tiny smile forming in his cheek.  ”But work on improving your writing, ok?  It’s a little rough at times to get through it.  But you’re young and stuck in this god-awful habits that schools teach you, so I don’t blame you.  Work outside that box, and don’t be afraid to try things in your own way.  There is so much potential here, and I want to see you grow with each new chapter.” he says, gently lifting Kerry’s jaw up, and shutting his mouth.  

As the words sink in, Kerry’s head begins to rise.  “Thank you…  Monty.” he says, offering his hand for a shake.  

Monty takes it, and grasps his hand.  “OH!  That reminds me!  Just a minute.” he says, reaching back into his carry-on.  He grabs a solid black envelope, handing it to Kerry.  “Read that real quick, will ya?” he asks kindly.  

_Dear Kerry,_

_It took me a little longer to write yours than it did Miles and Ryan.   Halfway because I didn’t exactly know what to write, and halfway because I knew exactly what to write._

_I’m not the idol you think I am.  The way you, Miles and Ryan rambled about me?  I appreciate it, but…  I’m just a person.  If you knew the man I used to be, you wouldn’t think so highly of me._

_You?  You are so much stronger than I am.  Even in the situation you found yourself a part of with your father, you never let your sorrow overtake you.  You always tried to see the good in your life, and that speaks volumes for who you are as a person._

_While I don’t wish to delve into my past at this time (apologies, especially after you shared so much with me), but believe me when I say that I felt a lot of what you felt.  The discussions that I shared this past week with you and your friends brought back a lot of bitter memories for me.  Anxiety over the future, fear of not being able to pursue my dreams, feelings of worthlessness, forever lacking confidence in myself, the gaping hole in my chest from nobody understanding me, and undergoing a great deal of pressure from my family._

_In a way…_

_I feel like you and I are a lot alike.  Because I know what it feels like to be helpless, alone, and in need of someone to pull me out of the shadows.  Unlike you, however?  I wish I had half the strength and determination that you and your family here had._

_You have something special here.  You have a chance at living a wonderful life that I never lived.  And that’s why I want nothing more than to assist you in any way I can._

_And I will._

_You, your friends, and your “brothers”?  I want to be someone you can all rely on, and a connection that you can count on.  Burnie agrees with me too, it’s one of the few things we’re on the same page about._

_Kerry:_

_When you are an adult and completed your education?  I would love to have you as part of my staff, if this is a path that you wish to take in writing.  You may consider this a pending job offer from the Burns Production company.  I have made a similar offer to your friends, so don’t worry about them!_

_But it is not a free job without proper preparation!  Far from it, I expect you to work hard and show me (through your book and future stories to come) your resolve for the future that you dream about._

_In the coming years, I want you to try different genres of writing, and improve your practice.  I’ll send you scripts and documentation for the Dead Fantasy, RWBY and Red Versus Blue to show you what our studio does in terms of writing, so you can be familiar with our style._

_Use the internet to research new ways to “buff” your writing, and read as many books as you can to see how other storytellers share their ideas._

_But in the end, while I am “training” a writer of sorts…  I do want you to always be true to yourself, and create your own destiny._

_Sorry, I’m a little excited with the prospect of rearing a writer from the very beginning of his career.  Especially one with such potential as you.  :)_

_I do want to be more than a future boss though.  I hope to be your friend, and an ally for your life.  Never hesitate to call if you need words of encouragement, support, or just someone to talk to._

_Best of luck to you and your future endeavors.  I believe in you._

_Your friend,_

_Monty Oum_

-

The bell for the lunch period interrupts Kerry mid-sentence as he gets to the part where he hugs Monty.  Well, it was probably best that he missed that part, it was far too cheesy for his liking. 

JJ blinks a couple of times.  “Wow…  That shit really happened?  Like, you….  Felt that way?  Did those things?”

Kerry nods.

The kid next to him shakes his head, and whistles.  ”Hey…  You know, I get where Kerry is Kyle, Raymond is Ryan and Miles is Mitchell, but…  You kept talking about a Monty guy who’s a writer or something that was visiting?  The guy you idolized so much?  Who’s he?” he asks curiously.

Chugging the last of his milk carton, Miles crushes it onto his plastic tray.  ”Monty Oum.  You’re probably not into animated shows or stuff, but he made stuff like RWBY, and the Dead Fantasy mov-”

A blur races for Kerry, grabbing him by the hand at a near light-speed pace.  ”YOU. KNOW. MONTY FUCKING OUM?” JJ blurts out, raising from the table in a frantic face.  His eyes are dilating, hair standing on end, and JJ’s entire body is vibrating.

Kerry nod reluctantly, and JJ then grabs him by the collar of his shirt.  His once cool, composed, and laid back demeanor is soon replaced by a frothing, incoherent babbling mess.  ”You know Monty Oum.  You know Monty Oum.  YOU KNOW MONTY OUM!?!?  WHY THE FUCK DID YOU NOT MENTION THIS SOONER!?  JESUS CHRIST, SHAWCROSS, YOU HAVE TO INTRODUCE ME!  THAT MAN IS MY GOD!  I AM HIS ONE MAN RELIGION, AND I WILL SLAY COUNTLESS IN HIS GLORIOUS NAME!” he says in a disturbingly serious tone, now shaking Kerry violently back and forth.

Ryan sighs as his table is soon the focus of the entire school cafeteria, though thankfully for once not staring at him.  ”Good going Miles, you broke JJ.  You BROKE him, and I’m pretty sure there is no warranty for this sort of thing.” he says, chuckling at the scene before him.

His friend laughs.  “Hey, it’s a gift.  And it can be yours for only 19.95.  Order now, and you’ll get a side order of witty comebacks!” Miles said, animating his sales pitch with wild hand movements.

He rolls his eyes, groaning loudly.  “But man, here I though YOU were bad at fanboying.  JJ takes it to a new level!” Ryan comments, laughing as he picks up his tray, moving to the group return area.  

Miles shoots him a dirty look.  ”OH COME ON.  I was NOT that bad!  I only slayed a couple hundred in his glorious name!” he yells, joining Ryan as they return their trays.

_____________________

In Caiti’s almost completely packed up office, she couldn’t help but continue to groan throughout the entire day.  A deep seed of guilt, remorse and generally pain-inducing feelings were welling up inside her chest.  

“Caaaaaiiiiitiiiiiiii….  Whyyyyyyyyyyyy?” whines Barbara, still sitting poutily on the chairs opposite her.

_Gee, I wonder why I feel this way…_

Caiti shakes her head.  “Barbie, we’ve been over this!  This is NOT goodbye!  Sweetheart, I’m just moving downstairs to a nearby office that Jack is renting for me.  You and I will still have to work on all the case reports for all the HomeHunters.  You will see me EVERY day, and heck, we can still go get lunch together!”

Barbara shakes her head.  “It’s not the same!  We won’t be working together!  On different floors!  WE’LL NEVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN!  It’s over!  ALL OVER!  I DON’T WANT TO LOSE MY KITTY-CAT!” she exclaims, fake-sobbing.

She sighs.  “Sweetheart, don’t you think you’re being a little overly dramatic?” Caiti comments, shaking her head frustratingly.

As if on cue, Gus walks into the office.  In a rather solemn looking black suit and tie, he placed a vase of neatly cut roses on Caiti’s now barren desk.  “Let us bow our heads in remembrance of the late Caiti Ward.  Senior staff, friend, a mother to countless, and one of the best damn agents I ever had.” he preaches, bowing his head in prayer.

Barbara rushes to his side, pulling out a small black veil from her pocket and placing it upon her head.  “She will be missed greatly…  Poor dear.  So young, so beautiful.  Her passing was truly a tragedy.” she cries, pulling out a handkerchief and faking an obnoxious nose blowing.

Giving them both a look of complete irritation, Caiti folds her arms.  “VERY FUNNY!” she speaks loudly.

Her friend Barbara looks up to the sky.  “Why Gus!  I feel like I can almost HEAR her now!” she says in a shocked tone, looking towards the sky.

Gus shoots his head up as well.  “DON’T GO INTO THE LIGHT!  THE LIGHT IS A TRAIN!” he says in a tone of utter horror.

Groaning, Caiti plops down in her chair, finally chuckling at the last part.  “You guys…  Not funny.  I feel bad enough as it is.” she says.

Grinning, Gus shakes his head.  ”Nah, it’s fine.  I will miss you though!  Take care, I’ll see you around!” he exclaims.  ge shakes her hand and makes his way out of the room.

As Caiti returns to packing her things, Barbara returns to her seat, nervously clicking her tongue.  ”Say Caiti…  I’ve got a question for ya.”

She turns to face her friend.  ”Sure!  What’s up?”

Barbara bites her lip.  ”You’re over…  At the HomeHunters a lot, and you…  Know them better than I do…  And you know and talk to Jack a lot…  So…  Um…  Do you know…  Is…  Geoff still single?” she asks hesitantly.  

________________

Back in California, Monty was surrounded by no less than ten large screen monitors sat upon a cherry oak desk.  Adorning his wall was a glass cabinet filled with various awards and trophies from his years as an animator and director.  Posters of the studio’s many works littered the walls.  His desk was a mess, with various technological gadgets strung over it, but in a manner that he knew where everything was.  “Organized Chaos” as Burnie liked to put it.  

Though his mouse wasn’t busily clicking.  The keyboard was silent.  Music was muted behind him.  In fact, Monty wasn’t even at his desk.  A rare sight, indeed.

Sitting in the corner, in a cheap loveseat he got for his doctor-mandated “breaks”, Monty was reading a thick stack of papers.  His chest was heavy, breathing labored, and a painful tightness in his heart.  Unlike the heart attack he’d undergone during the summer, it was a different sensation.  Emotional.  He was completely and utterly overwhelmed, something he didn’t think was possible anymore.  

_Damn Kerry…  Just…  Damn._

Monty re-read the last part, focusing on the words that made his heart completely leap out of his chest. 

_After reading his idol’s letter, Kyle’s face fell to the floor.  “You…  You want…  Me?  For more than just…  Writing?  You wanna be friends?” he stutters, completely unable to comprehend the words before him._

_Nobody ever wanted him besides his mother and friends…_

_Monty nodded.  “Of course Kyle.  Your words are remarkable, naturally.  And they show me the kind of amazing person you are.  That’s why I want to get know the man behind the words.  Besides, you’re pretty cool.  I don’t have any cool friends.” he says, in a straight-faced serious tone._

_He wants to know ME.  No strings attached.  He wants ME!_

_His face lights up, and he tosses the eloquently written letter to the ground.  Quickly turning around, he leaps at the man.  After knocking both plates of food from their laps, Kyle hugs his neck as tightly as he could.  Kyle cries, eyes sobbing, tears of joy rushing out of him._

_That week with Monty, Burnie, Raymond and Mitchell?  He’d never forget it as the best week of his life.  In those seven days, he met his idol and found in him a fatherly figure he never thought he’d be able to have in his life.  A future that he could work towards, in which his dream could be a reality.  Comfort in knowing that his friends would never abandon him, and wanted him as part of their amazing family._

_Relief washes over him.  A relief he’d never known before   A decade of worry, second-guessing and negative thoughts evaporating from his body all at once._

_And as Monty wordlessly returned his embrace, he knew that everything….  REALLY knew….  Everything would be ok._

Monty chuckled, feeling the tightness in his chest slowly evaporate.  His inner cynic quickly came out.  ”You still write too damn much.  But at least you quit those atrocious run-ons.  That will cut my critique in half alone.” he says happily, pulling out a red pen from his immediate right.  Standing up, he quickly returns to his desk, deciding to take a little longer on today’s break.  There were more important things than doing his employee’s jobs for them. 

But before he can lay the first stroke, a quick knock is heard at his door.  Without even asking, Burnie pushes into Monty’s office.  Wordlessly, he throws a tiny white envelope on his desk, entitled “Monty”.  He notices the scribble is in a messy handwriting he wasn’t familiar with.

Picking it up from the desk.”What’s this?” Monty asks, flipping the envelope back and forth.  

Burnie chuckles.  ”Oh, just a little gift from the kiddos.  They asked me to give it to you when we got home a couple of weeks ago, buuuuut, I kind of forgot.  But hey, better late than never, right?!” he says in a carefree tone.  

Rolling his eyes, Monty carefully opens the envelope.  Inside of it is a single folded paper.  Retrieving and unfurling it, his face turns into a hearty grin.

On the paper is a large text of  ”We Love You Monty!” written in a child’s handwriting.  Surrounding it were various drawings.  From a pristine illustration of Ruby, to a chibi-fied Jaune, to a stick figure of what he assumed was Weiss and all the rest of his RWBY cast.  Each drawing was clearly the work of a different person.  

And on the bottom were the names of the children he’d come to know and love so much.  Each in a different color and style of handwriting.

_Love,_

_Gavin, Michael (MOGAR), Ray, Ryan, Miles, Kerry, Courtney, Lindsay & Dan_

"There’s more on the back!" Burnie says, poinging to the other side of the paper. 

Flipping it around, there is a small scribbling of handwriting.

_Monty,_

_Thanks so much for coming over, it was wonderful getting to know such a fine young man.  You are always welcome in our home, no invitation required.  The kids love you, and it means the world to them that you took the time to come visit.  Especially with my older boys, who need someone to look up to and strive to be like.  And hell, there are few people these days I’d rather have them obsess over!_

_Thank you for everything you’ve done for all of our children._

_-Geoff Ramsey & Jack Patillo_

_PS:  I FUCKING HATE YOU FOR MAKING RWBY.  I HAVE SEEN THAT SHOW AND READ THAT BOOK SO MANY FUCKING TIMES THAT I WANT TO VOMIT!  -  Geoff_

_PSS:  ^ He’s exaggerating, that’s just his personality.  But seriously, if you want to make another hit show with the kids to get their minds off of RWBY, that’d be great.  ;) - Jack_

"Awww!  That’s cute!" Burnie says, checking out the drawing that was now facing him.  

Monty re-flips the picture, and feels a similar level of emotion he’d had reading Kerry’s latest chapter.  Though he finally laughs.  ”They act like I’m some big deal.  I’m not really…  Just another lonely human soul trying to figure this world out.  I don’t think they all see how amazing THEY are compared to me…” he says solemnly.

Rolling his eyes, Burnie slaps him on the head.  ”I though you were over the shit with your family?  Stop living in the past so much!  You are a BIG deal to these kids, so fucking act like it!  Oh, listen, I’m actually going back at Christmas with Ashley and Tex until New Year’s, which is what reminded me of the letter.  I’m booking flights right now.  You in?  I’d recommend it.  Your workload has been actually normal for once, and you’re just in a generally better attitude since the visit.  Hell, you seem relaxed for once.” he says, looking actually pretty serious.  For Burnie, at least.

Shooting him a perplexed look, Monty scrunches his face.  ”I’m not sure, I mean, Halloween is one thing, but they’d probably not want some stranger barging in during the happiest time of the year.”.

Burnie slaps him on the head again.  ”MONTY.  ROLE MODEL.  IDOL.  GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER.”

Monty shakes his head.  ”Listen, Burnie, I’m not a role model, I’m just a-”

He is slapped once more.  ”BAD MONTY!  BAD!  NO!” Burnie says demeaningly, as if he were speaking to a dog.

Shielding his head, the man shoots him a dirty look.  ”Ok, now you’re just pissing me off.” Monty says angrily.  

Picking up the paper from the desk, Burnie points to the picture.  ”But MOOONTTTTYYYYY, we love you!” he says jeeringly, giving a playful wink.

Sighing, Monty looks back down at the papers he’d been reading.  Thinking about the correspondence that he and Kerry had been sharing about writing and life in general.  E-mails with Miles about his options in online and video production.  Speaking to Ryan about computer stuff, the boy was incredibly interested in high tech stuff.  

_Well…  Maybe?  Could I actually be a-_

His friend sighs.  ”Ok, you’ve had enough time to make the plot-relevant decision.  I’m booking you a flight.  You’re coming, boss’s orders now.” Burnie says, standing up and walking away.

Tossing a small Nerf football at his boss, Monty smacks him on the back of the head with it.  ”FINE!  But Santa Monty is bringing his animation shit this time, and Santa Burnie is bringing the kids all the expensive shit he can!!” he yells seriously.

After Burnie closes the door to his office with a “well duh” look to his face, Monty takes a moment to pick back up the paper the kids had drawn for him.  Smiling, he shakes his head at the cuteness of it.  

_Gotta put you somewhere special._

Looking at the small cabinet of animation awards, he nods.  Walking over to the corner of his office from his desk, he opens the glass cabinet.  Tilting it, he places the drawing inside it, covering up an entire row of awards.  Shutting it, Monty returns to his desk, sitting down.  

Sure enough, even from his desk, he could still make out the words.  Smiling, he turns his attention back to the paper in front of him.  “Ok Mr. Shawcross, let’s play “Find the overused word that makes Monty cringe”.” he says, chuckling to himself.  

________________

Waving backwards to Mr. Ramsey for the ride home, Kerry enters his house with a big smile.  Much to Mr. Ramsey’s word, he’d been invited to their home every afternoon and evening while his mother finished her late night business stuff.  He was always welcomed in without any hinge of annoyance, and soon found himself happier than he’d ever been in his life. He was finally part of a warm circle of friends and family.  Even at school, things were better.  For some reason, having JJ as their friend opened them up to getting to know everyone in the school, since JJ would usually have a few friends over with him in the cafeteria.  The three of them were no longer the outcasts they’d once been, and it happened almost overnight!

_I wonder how much Miles told JJ…  And how much JJ told other people.  But…  Nobody’s said anything about Ryan, so…  Maybe not much?_

Walking through the entryway, he sees his mother tapping her foot annoyingly, phone in her ear.  ”I told you Jamie, the two of us already have plans!  I-…” she stops, turning to see Kerry walking in.

Face firming, he slings his backpack to the floor.  ”Is that Jamie?  Let me talk to him.” he says harshly.  

Elena gives him a cautious look, biting her lip.  ”Well, here, your son will talk to you instead.  You can ask him yourself.” she says, handing the wireless phone to Kerry.  

He picks up the phone to his ear.  ”Hello?”

"Buddy boy!  Good to hear ya.  Hey listen, the fam’s having Thanksgiving dinner next week.  We’d love to have you pop by for a few minutes!  Daneille has this-"  

Kerry smiles, cutting his father off mid-sentence.  ”Ehhh.  No thanks, I’m busy.  Got dinner with my own family on Thanksgiving.  You know, the ones who actually have more than five minutes for me.” he says smugly.

There’s an awkward silence over the phone, and Kerry misses his mother’s stunned expression.  Elena’s mouth is agape, and she’s breathing deeply in and out of shock and awe.  

"W…wha…" his father asks hesitantly.

The smug look on Kerry’s face soon evaporates.  His happy expression turns stern, forceful.  ”Yeah.  Mom and I are going over to my best friend Ryan’s house.  You know, Ryan Ramsey?  Well, you’d probably know him if you bothered to ever talk to me.  I’m be surprised if you actually knew either of my friends’ names.” he quips, placing his hand firmly on his hip.

Elena falls to the nearby couch, muffling her excited squeals and laughs into a pillow.

"Son, I-"

Kerry doesn’t give him any leeway in the conversation.  ”Anyway, I’ll go ahead and tell you about them.  They’ve got this amazing family of six.  Four kids, and then there’s these two brothers who are dads for them all.  You probably know them actually, they were friends of mom’s.  Jack Patillo and Geoff Ramsey?  Well, actually, I think I’ve spent more quality time with those two since Halloween weekend than I have with you in the last six years.  Between them and Monty, they’ve all been more of a father to me than you have been.   I should be looking up to them, and wanting to be in their influence.  Not your lazy and inconsiderate bu…  Ass.” he scathes angrily.

Controlling herself, Elena perks her eyes from the couch, looking at her son proudly.

"I-"

Kerry cuts him off again.  ”No, you’re gonna let me finish.  Here’s the truth, and you know this as much as I do.  I’ve only existed when you needed me for something.  Computers, babysitting, or a way to ease what I hope is a guilty conscious over you abandoning your first born son?  Yeah, well, I’m done with that shit.  I’ve got a real family now.  Besides my amazing mother, I’ve got people who care about me and want me in their lives all the time.  I’ve got someone who’s actually there for me, who listens to my words and talks to me about them.  And they want ME.  The good, bad, and beautiful of Kerry Shawcross.  All of it.”

The line on the other end is dead, and Kerry closes his eyes.  ”I don’t need your love or approval anymore.  I’ve never needed it really.  I guess I just always assumed that one day I’d be wanted by you like a real father.  That you’d be proud of me, or at least attempt to make an effort.  I held out hope that’d you try and make amends.  Love me like you love Tanner or Danielle.  Make it so that I mattered somehow.  But…  That’s just never going to happen, and I realize that now.” he mutters regretfully.

“That’s not-”

Kerry shushes him.  “So Jamie?  Just leave me alone, and don’t bother calling me because I don’t want anything to do with you.  I won’t ask you for anything again, and I don’t want you asking me for anything.  That was the original deal you made with mom anyway, right?  So you shouldn’t have a problem with that.  So please kindly fuck the hell off.” Kerry finishes, slamming the END button quickly.  

Blood rushes through him, his heart pumping adrenaline through his body.   He grips the phone tightly, the words he just spoke rushing through him.

_Oh my dear god, did I just…  Really do that?_

Elena puts her hand on Kerry’s shoulder, and the boy begins losing his cool.  The once strong demeanor is now decomposed.  His face is reddening, and his eyes open to reveal a watering mess.  Letting his hand drop with the phone, Kerry exhales deeply.  The heartbeat slows, and the tingling sensation over his body fades.  ”Sweetheart?  You ok?” she asks, pulling him into a hug.  

He nods his head.  ”Yeah…  I think so.  I guess I just didn’t want to deal with him anymore…  Being with Ryan’s family made me feel really wanted lately, like I was worth something.  And I guess…  Monty was right all along too.  My future, my choices.  I don’t need him, and I especially don’t have to ever worry about being like him.  I’m through with him entirely.  I’m moving on, like I should have to begin with.” Kerry says firmly, grinning happily at himself..

Elena smiles halfheartedly.  ”But…  Are you ok ending it like this?  I’m proud that you’re happy, and that you finally found your voice with that dirtbag, but…  You’re not going to regret this are you?…” she begins, but shakes her head off.  ”Nevermind.  Forget I said anything.  I’m glad to have back my happy little Ker-bear again.   No, actually…  I’m glad you’re the new and improved Ker-bear, happy and wanted even more than I did originally!” she says sweetly, hugging him tightly.

Kerry’s face melts.

_Me too mom…  Me too._

The silent,  moment soon ends between them.  “So…  Fuck the hell off?  Who taught you to talk like that?  Do I need to have a word with Mr. Ramsey about his choice of vocabulary in their home?  Or is this Mr. Oum not being a very good role model for you?” Elena mutters.

_Well shit…_

His mother laughs, patting him on the head.  “Sweetie, that was a joke.  I don’t give a damn about how you talk.  Honestly, those were the exact words I told your father on our honeymoon.” she chuckles.

Kerry groans.  “TMI!”

______

_Michael is in his old home, sitting on the floor, watching television.  Mommy was at work, so she turned on ponies for him.  He didn’t say or do anything.  Daddy was behind him, watching his every move.  Daddy didn’t hurt him if he didn’t move or talk.  Mostly._

_The room was dark.  It was late, the evening, and no lights were on in the entire house.  The neon blue light of the television cast a dark shadow behind Michael’s brightly lit face, an unseen entity laughing darkly behind him.   “Fucking ponies….  God damn…  Not only did I get stuck with your bill, and your bullshit, but I got a homo out of the deal too.  Jesus Christ….” his father mutters, slurring._

_His shoulders tighten, body shaking.  Standing up, he does like mommy told him.  Go to his room, and lock the door.  As he starts to walk, his father appears before him, almost instantly.  The blue light lit only half of his face, it grinning painfully._

_“Worthless piece of shit…  YOU!  YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!” he slurs, glugging another one of his glass bottles that mommy said never to drink from.  The liquid dribbled down on the lit side of his face, creating a line of reflected booze._

_Michael backed away from his father, and attempted to run far away.  Mr. Jones picks him up by the arm, dangling his small body in the air effortlessly.  The light of the television from behind his father cast a shadow on the man’s face, obscuring it completely._

_“NO!  YOU STAY RIGHT HERE!  FUCKING EXPENSIVE!  THAT’S ALL YOU FUCKING ARE!  RUINED MY GODDAMN LIFE!  IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR YOU!?  I WOULDN’T BE STUCK HERE!  I WOULDN’T BE MAIMED, AND MOMMY AND I WOULDN’T BE IN THIS SHITTY HOUSE!” he screams angrily, turning around._

_Michael looks to his father’s shirtless form, now completely visible from the new angle of light.  A painful looking boo-boo covering a huge part of his left chest._

_He pushes, kicks and does everything to try and get out of his father’s grasp.  “I’m…  I’m sorry daddy!” he mutters, begging and pleading._

_Mr. Jones chuckles.  “Yeah…  You should be.” he mutters darkly, under his breath._

_In a single, swift movement, his father raises up bottle he’d been drinking, high into the air.  Bringing it down, he slams it as hard as he can onto Michael’s shoulder  Shattering the glass on his shoulder, one of the pieces lodged themselves directly into his skin.  The only other color in that world begins seeping from Michael’s shoulder.  A deep, dark red._

_Michael screams loudly from the pain and fear he was now experiencing.  “MOOOMMY!” he wails, trying everything in his power to get away from the man.  He couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything.  Helplessly swaying in the air, the red stuff is staining his bright white shirt._

_The dark voice guffaws.  “Mommy’s not here.” he says, shifting Michael’s field of view._

_Looking into the ground, he sees his mother’s body, covered in the red stuff, leaking out of her back and pooling in the floor.  Despite the light of the television, he couldn’t make out her figure.  He couldn’t even remember her face…_

_His father chuckles.  “I’m not either…” Mr. Jones mutters, pulling a gun towards his head.  Pulling the trigger, a loud bang escapes, and more red stuff explodes out of his head._

_Falling to the floor, he’s split between the two of them.  The light put shadows over both his parent’s bodies, and the light of the television lit up the scene around him._

_The red surrounds him.  Soaked him in it._

“BARK!” Edgar yelps, right in his ear.  

Michael’e eyes shoot open.  Breathing in and out quickly, he finds it hard to calm down.  Looking around nervously, he feels the tightness in his chest slowly ease off.  Next to him was Gavin, asleep with him on the couch, lying on Michael’s shoulder.  He took a nap watching Miles and Ray start playing a new video game.  Daddy must have let him sleep the night there.  Looking around the dark room, the only light covering the room was from the PAUSE menu of the video game.  Jumping off the couch, Michael quickly turns on a lamp.

No red stuff.  No dead mommy and daddy.  Just their house.

Relief sets in, and he sees another large body snoring loudly next to theirs on the opposite couch.

_DADDY!_

_“I’m here for you.  Whenever you need me.  Any time, you just come get me, ok?”_

Michael smiles, wiping away his forming tears, and makes his way towards him.  Sheepishly, he pokes Geoff’s face.  The man is unphased.  “D…daddy?” he mutters, pulling on Geoff’s shirt and shaking his body.

His father wakes up, opening eyes up slowly.  Rubbing the sleep away, he takes in the body before him.  “Hey Michael…  What’s up?” he asks politely.

Michael didn’t say anything.  

-

Moving his body into a sitting position, Geoff is surprised as Michael leaps into his lap, hugging him tightly. His son wasn’t one for cuddle time like Gavin and still didn’t like being touched unnecessarily.  He could tolerate it in small bits, but otherwise, he would always shirk away.

Geoff pats him on the back.  ”Michael…  Tell me what’s wrong.  It’s ok, you can tell me!” he affirms, rubbing the child’s back.  

His son lifts his head up, turning away from his eyes.  “I…  I had a bad dream…  That Daddy…  Daddy hurt me…  Mommy died…  Daddy died…   The red stuff was…  Everywhere again…” he stutters.

He pulls Michael into a firm hug.  “It’s ok buddy.  Michael, it’s all ok.  You’re safe here, he can’t hurt you anymore, and you’re going to be just fine, I promise.” he soothes, realizing exactly what was wrong.

Michael eases into him, and crys softly.  He doesn’t scream, doesn’t sob and just lets tears silently let tears fall down his face.  ”It was scary…” he says plainly.  

Geoff just holds him there, wrapping the trembling mess in his arms safely.  The psychologist and social worker within him was SCREAMING to say logical things, but the father within him just wanted to let him cry it out and let him patch it out himself.  Eventually, his heart overpowered him as he loosens the grip on his embrace.  “I know it’s been a while since I asked, but…  Do you want to talk about it Michael?  About what Mr. Jones did to you?  About your boo-boos?”

Michael instinctively grabbed his shoulder, shaking his head.  “No.” he mutters.  The same answer he’d given since the first day he’d come into their lives.  The same answer he gave the police, Barbara and anyone that ever asked about it.

He sighed.  “Son, listen…  I don’t want to make you talk about it before you’re ready, but…  I think you’d feel better letting someone know.  Holding it in…  It hurts.” Geoff says, staring at the boy straight in the eyes, with a soft gaze.

Michael says nothing.

Geoff sits the boy upright in his lap.  “I know what must have happened to you, because I saw the boo-boos on your body myself…  But…  You’ve never told me about it.  You’ve never told anyone about it, even Barbie.  About your…  Daddy hitting you.” he mutters quietly.

Michael says nothing, and turns away from Geoff’s look.

He looks away from his son as well.  “We…  We want to help you feel better Micahel.  Make all the hurt feelings go away.  Jack, me, your brothers, Grandpa Joel and Auntie Kara.  Barbie too.  It’s all we want.  We want YOU to be happy.  Because Jackie and I know…  Know how much it hurts too…” Geoff says, looking at the length of his arm, eyeing a few choice tattoos. 

 Michael says nothing, but grips Geoff’s shirt and tightly twists it.  

Geoff places his hand on Michael’s shoulder, covering the boy’s smaller hand where it had been since the conversation began.  “I’m here for you Michael.  I want you to trust me.  I’m your friend, your big brother, and your father.  I am always here for you, and you can…  You can tell me anything.  I’ll keep whatever secret you want.  Believe that.” he says in a comforting tone, the boy looking back at him.  A fresh set of tears were falling, but Michael’s face seemed a little more harsh than it had before.  It looked…  Angry.

He opens his mouth, an aching sound released.  Shutting it quickly, he shakes his head.  “I don’t wanna talk about it.” Michael says in a disappointing tone.  His face drops, and he’s biting his lips painfully.  

Geoff nods, pulling Michael close to him.  Covering them with a nearby blanket he’d been using earlier, he moves the boy to his shoulder.  He rests its there, closing his eyes.  “Then we won’t.  Not till you’re ready.  But whenever you’re ready, you come get Daddy, ok?  We’ll talk as long as you want.” he said, gently rocking the child.

Michael nods.  ”I…I will…” he mutters, shutting his eyes tightly.

After a few minutes, the child is fast asleep once more, snoring softly in his ear.  Looking at his hurt face, tear-ridden eyes, and completely exhausted expression, Geoff sees a smaller version of himself.  The smaller him, laying in Mr. Anderson’s arms just like that.  His same stubborn attitude keeping him from telling exactly what was wrong.  

A familiar ache overcomes his entire back, his arms cringe, and his upper chest feels heavy.  A stinging sensation overcomes him, a feeling that he’d tried to cover up with ink for years.

Remembering how he felt, he knew exactly why Michael didn’t want to say anything.  After all, who could put such a terrible act into words?  

_Take as much time as you need Michael.  There’s no rush.  Took me twenty years to talk about it, so…  You’ve got plenty of time.  Nobody’s going to rush  you._

______

BZZZT  BZZZZZT  BZZZZT

Groaning, Cameron attempts to turn off his alarm clock, smacking it as hard as he could.  Realizing that the noise is not coming from that, the man leans up from the bed.  

Noticing a light shining through his jeans, Cameron rummages through his discarded pants on the floor, pulling out a small flip-phone.  Seeing that the number is blocked, his rage boils.  Opening it up, he answers it in his usual morning “lovliness”.

"WHAT?  IT IS FIVE IN THE MORNING, AND I HAVE A LONG ASS DRIVE IN THREE HOURS.  CASEY WILLIAMS, IF YOU ARE ON THE OTHER END OF THIS LINE ABOUT OUR DAMN PROJECT, I AM GOING TO END YOU." he yells groggily, yet in a feirce, angry tone.  

A loud throat is cleared over the phone, and Cameron quiets himself quickly.  ”This is Shannon.  I’ve got what you asked for.  I know it’s the day before Thanksgiving, but I’d like you to come down and discuss the matter in private, since there are rather…  Delicate things to speak about that I think you should know.” the man says firmly.

Cameron’s face beams, and he is quickly woken up.  ”YOU FOUND HIM?” he yells questioningly.

An uneasy sigh is heard over the phone.  ”Yes, but as I said, there are-“

"I’LL BE THERE IN A FEW HOURS.  STAY WHERE YOU ARE! he screams, throwing the sheets off the bed and slamming the phone shut.  Just in his boxers, Cameron wastes no time in flinging back on yesterday’s outfit.  Showering and laundry could wait, he’d do it at the HomeHunters after he delivered the good news to Gavin himself.  Hopping into his pants, he turns a happy face to Isaac’s picture with Gavin.

His breath is uneven, lost.  ”I’ve got him Isaac.  I’ve got him…  That fucker is going down.  When I’m done with him, that piece of shit is going to wish he were DEAD.” he mutters venemously, pulling on a long sleeve shirt and grabbing his glasses from the nightstand.  Grabbing his small overnight bag he’d packed yesterday, he begins rummaging for his car keys.

Chuckling, Cameron is smiling darkly.  ”It’s ok Isaac.  I’ll have justice TODAY.” he says giddily.


	20. Michael and Lindsay's Newfound Trust

Cameron broke both thirteen traffic laws and general physics with the speed in which he made his way to McCormick PI Offices.  Seated in front of the man, he was giddy.  

_This is it…  I’ve found him..  He’ll PAY!  At last!_

Composing himself, he fiddled with the watch on his hand restlessly.  “So, have you found him?  The man..  The man that hit Isaac?” he asks cautiously.  Though Cameron’s eyes shone hungrily, like a beast’s.

Shannon nodded, but didn’t look him in the eyes.  The man’s face was distant, looking to the side, at a small manila envelope on his desk.  Labeled “Collins”, he assumed it was the investigation findings.  Inhaling deeply, the man closes his eyes.  “Yes Cameron, I believe I have found the man you inquired about.  It actually was not that difficult.  Had there been an investigation by the police, they would have found this man a long time ago.  Probably within a day, which would have been a godsend for all parties involved.  Luckily for you, your inebriated driver was dumb enough to plummet through three red traffic lights, and triggered several outstanding DUI warrants.  Based on footage from the stoplight cameras and from cooperative convenience stores on that date?  Well, I believe I have a good match.  Is this the vehicle?” he asks, pushing a small colored photo his way.  A dark blue, beat up Honda with several dents.  From the front angle that the photograph was taken, it was clear. 

He nods.  “This is it.  THIS IS IT!  SHANNON!  THAT’S HIM!  WHO DOES IT BELONG TO?!” Cameron exclaims, body shaking in excitement.  He’s gripping the photo so tightly that it crinkles in the corner.  

The investigator closes his eyes again.  “Mr. Collins..  This is where things get…  A little more difficult.” he mutters in a low, dissapointing voice.

Cameron’s heart sinks, and his face loses the glow it once had. 

Shannon rubs the back of his head, leaning back into his chair.  “The owner of this vehicle was named Mitchell Jones.  Aged 31.  Unemployed with three prior DUI write-ups, and several domestic violence reports on his record.  In short, a scumbag.” He mutters scathingly.   

Cameron opens his mouth to speak with excitement, but Shannon’s dark glare silences him.  “I talked with a few people that knew the man personally, trying to find his whereabouts.  The general story that they all verified with one and other was a simple one.  Friends claimed that he had been a great man until right after his son was born.  After that, things started falling apart for the Jones.  Not a day or two after he went back to work from his child’s birth, Mitchell was involved in a terrible accident in the factory that he worked.  A machine part shot off due to a negligent worker not properly calibrating the system, and impaled his chest.  It missed his heart and any vital organs, but as you can imagine, the injury was quite severe.  He was stuck on disability soon after, and was told that he’d likely not be able to work for many years, if at all.  With their significant source of income dried up, and a newborn son’s medical bills to account for alongside his own, they lost their home and had to move out into a rather sleazy neighborhood.  Apparently his wife had to get two or three jobs to support them, alongside her own teaching career.  Depressed, injured and left completely helpless, he hit the booze soon after.  Became a notable alcoholic, and started beating his wife, who he would exclaim loudly in the evenings “pitied” him and his inability to provide for his family.” He says, reading off a list of notes from a paper in front of him.

Cameron scoffs, rolling.  “Yes, boo hoo.  We’ve all got our sob stories, but I’m not about to feel sorry for this man, and you’re missing the point as to why I hired you.  Do we have enough to convict him of a crime?  Can I take this to the police?” he says irritatingly.  His body was tense, and he’d only half-listened to Shannon’s overall speech.

The man turns away again. “You could, but they’d laugh at you.” he mutters darkly.

His body jolts, a sickening feeling of anxiety washing over his chest.  “Why?” he asks panickedly.  

Shannon pulls a paper from the envelope and slides it across the desk.  “Because Mitchell Jones has been dead for the last six months.” He states firmly, a heavy darkness in the words he uttered.

Cameron takes the paper, and looks it over.  A death certificate, with a small obituary clipped to it.  

_No.  Nonononono._

His body can’t move, and his hands freeze in place, holding the paper unbelievingly in his hands.  “W…What?  HOW?” he exclaims in a frantic voice, the realization of the situation hitting him all at once.

The man rummages through his drawer, producing a small tin.  Popping it open, he retrieves a thin cigarette.  Igniting it with a small lighter, he takes a deep breath of the smoky vapor.  Giving the boy a moment or two to calm down, he finally releases the cloud of smoke that had been stored in his lungs.  “Mitchell murdered his wife by violently stabbing her multiple times.  She died from blood loss, and apparently there was enough of it that their entire floor was coated it in.  Mitchell then shot himself in the head, blowing his brains out all over the living room.  But even far worse, he did ALL of it in front of his child that he’d been abusing for years.  The one who’s birth triggered all this irrational behavior.  I tried to follow up on the kid and his whereabouts for you, but CPS blocked me faster than anything I’d ever seen before in my life.  Some new charity government foster program or some shit for whacked out kids.  His name and records of his involvement in the incident were completely sealed, and from what I hear, it would require the state supreme court to overrule it.  The kid’s whereabouts are gone, sorry.  So anyone that…  Might have “suffered” from your wrath?  Well, they’re gone.  There’s nobody to take the blame anymore.” He mutters painfully, taking another long draft of his cigarette.

There is a long silence between the two.  The ticking of the wall clock rang dully in both their ears.

Shannon sighs.  “Listen, I know how you-“  

As the man began speaking, Cameron snaps. His eyes grow wild, and his teeth begin baring like fangs.  ”GOD DAMMIT!” he screams, slamming his fists into the table, knocking over several knick-knacks that littered Shannon’s desk.

His investigator watches as the man goes into a tantrum, slamming his desk repeatedly, and ripping the papers he’d been handed into thousands of tiny pieces, screaming and yelling the entire time.  At some point, the man begins sobbing, covering his face in a fury…

Shannon says nothing of the mess now littering his office, just shaking his head in pity.  Instead of showing irritation, he merely reaches back into the envelope once more, pulling out a large photograph.    “I know…  It’s not the same, but here’s a picture of him blown up, a family photo from the paper’s obituary.  Throw darts at it or something.  Burn it, whatever floats your boat.  Just so long as you don’t continue trashing my office.” he mutters.

Cameron snaps it from his hands, looking it over breathlessly.  He looks at the man in disgust.  Venomous, angry tears were flowing from his eyes.

_Bastard…  You took away everything…  And won’t EVER get to pay for it..  WHY?  WHY in this life do I get stuck with NEVER knowing peace?  EVERYTIME!  I never get to say goodbye!  I never get any CLOSURE!  Godammit, I-_

But then, as the agony began to overwhelm him once more?  His body freezes, skin crawling violently.  A chunk of emptiness now fills his stomach and chest.  The urge to vomit reaches him, and he covers his mouth, the grip on to photo weakening.

_You.  YOU.  Oh my dear god…  YOU._

At the bottom of the photo, hiding behind his mother’s legs was a familiar, red haired child that he’d come to know and love in the past few months

Gavin’s best friend.  

Gavin’s inseparable brother and guardian.

Gavin’s savior, who brought him out of his depression.

The boy who was Gavin’s voice for weeks, and gave him one once more.

Michael Jones was standing there.  With the same brown eyes as his father, the same facial structure, and the same curly mess of hair.  The only difference between them was the color of his hair, which he’d inherited as a combination of his parents.  The dark brown of his father’s, mixed with the light red of his mother’s, gave it a crimson, almost bloodlike appearance.

_Oh dear god…  Gavin…  You’ve…  You’ve been…_

“Something wrong?” the man asks cautiously.

Cameron stammered a few moments, sliding back into the chair.  “The boy…  What happened to him again?  Did you say…  He was…  Abused?  Saw everything?  That… Happened to Mitchell?” he asked.

Shannon nods, but eyes him cautiously.  “Y…Yes.  The neighbors said that the boy never admitted to it, but always walked around with fresh bruises, though his mother’s always far outclassed his own.  A neighbor said one time where the boy had a large shard of glass wedged into his shoulder that required multiple stitches.  It likely left a scar that could be identified.” he replies.

Cameron looked at the child, unsure of what he was feeling.  In the end, it just felt like a garbled mess of emotions that he couldn’t hope to sort out.  Anger, sadness, pity, loathing, disgust, hopelessness.  A big steaming pot of crazy.  He looks back down at the picture, focusing on the child once more.

_Michael Jones…  Your father took away everything from us, and you’re him..  You look just like him…  And yet…  I look at you, and…_

He stands up like a shot, grabbing the messenger bag and keys from the table be brought in with himself.  ”Thank you Shannon, I appreciate everything you did.  Sorry about your office, you can bill me for the cleanup.  But I think we’re done here.” He says defeatedly, folding the portrait and sticking it into his pocket.  Cameron begins moving to the door, a loud whistle stopping him in his tracks.  

Turning around, he sees the investigator rubbing the cigarette out into an ashtry.  ”A word of advice kid?” he says in a humbled voice.

Cameron faces him, but says nothing.

Shannon sighs, standing up and looking at the boy with a fierce determination.  ”Take it from someone that got into this business because he wanted to make people suffer for the sordid things they do in life.  Revenge, making people suffer or just taking out your frustrations on others?  It doesn’t make you feel better.  You just hold onto that anger, like a hot, steaming coal.  Grasping it, all you’ll do is burn yourself until you let it go.” He declares, his words coming from a deeply hurt depth.

He turns away, not facing the investigator and opening the door.

Shannon returns to his own seat, swinging it around and not looking at the boy anymore.  ”You don’t have to forgive…  But…  Try and move on in your life.  You’re young, and you have an entire world ahead of you.  Don’t throw that away.  You’ll end up in a tiny little office, alone, loveless, and broken.  Besides, don’t you have a little boy who’s going to be looking to you for guidance in life?   Don’t be a bad influence on him…  Show him strength, real strength.  And…  Show him that everything will be ok.  Be the grown up here.” he says sadly, closing his eyes as he leans back into the chair.

Cameron walks out, saying nothing.

___________________ 

Jack rubbed his forehead, watching as the usually lively HomeHunters were pitch-quiet.  It was especially odd, considering that it was Thanksgiving break, and the fun activities they would have tomorrow with all their friends and family.  Everyone had been looking forward to Grandpa Joel’s “grand feast”, and playing football.  

No…  There was no loud video games or the screeching of Ray’s frustrated cries.  Ryan, Kerry and Miles weren’t bickering over the cute girl that Miles wanted to ask out to the Winter Formal.  Gavin wasn’t singing, and Geoff’s boisterous attitude was at an unfamiliar low.  

No…  Instead, they were all sitting in silence, watching as the loudest of their group was leaning against Gavin, a lifeless corpse.  Edgar hadn’t left his side since the incident began, and was supportively staying on his lap.  Michael’s eyes were a million miles away, and despite repeated attempts, none of them could reach him. 

Much to Jack’s disdain, Michael hadn’t rebounded from his nightmare like he’d hoped.  The boy refused to sleep, too scared of the nightmares that had been haunting him for the last several days.  He refused to talk to anyone but Gavin, who was thankfully being a supportive brother and staying up with him.

Clearing his throat, Ryan puts on a happy face.  “So!  Uh…  Dad, when’s everyone coming over tomorrow?  A big meal might just be what Michael needs!  I know I always feel better after I eat a big yummy meal!” he says hopefully, putting on a plastered smile as he winks to Michael.  

Geoff nods.  “Yeah!  Michael, any special requests?  I’m sure Grandpa Joel won’t mind whipping up your favorite.” he exclaims happily.

The boy doesn’t move, his body stationary and motionless.  Michael doesn’t even register the comment.

Gavin whispers something into the child’s ear, and Michael barely turns to him.  He mutters a hushed, tired comment, and Gavin pouts.  “Michael says he’s not hungry.  Just leave him alone, cuz he don’t feel good.” the boy admits

The children and adults cringe, as a wave of unhappiness washes over them.  Seeing one of their own falling back into old shadows made them all uncomfortable, and it hurt them to see him like that. 

The doorbell rings, making most of them jump from the disturbance to the silence.  Sighing, Jack stands up, making his way towards the door.  Opening it, he’s faced with a rather scruffy and distraught looking Cameron Collins.  He wasn’t his usually well-presented self, instead in a wrinkled T-shirt and loose-fitting jeans. 

Jack smiles, and opens the door.  “Welcome!  Happy Thanksgiving break!  Glad you made it, it’s been a while since your last visit!” he says warmly. 

_Please be your usually cheery self.  We could really use your stage presence here!_

But instead, the young man’s disheveled face appeared more like he wanted to cry.  Jack watched as the young man looked around the house nervously.  “Um…  Could I borrow Gavin for a little while, take him out to ice cream or something?  He and I need to discuss a matter..  Something important that I-“ the man stops mid-sentence, staring at the couch with a inexplicable look.  Placing his tiny duffle and messenger bags onto the kitchen counter, Cameron makes his way directly towards the boy.  “GAVIN.” He exclaims, a little loudly, getting the child’s attention.

Gavin turns to him, smiling wildly.  “Cameron!  I’m glad you’re here!  Happy Thanksgiving!” he says kindly, his voice filling the room with a happy warmth.  The rest of the home inhabitants offer him greetings, though he ignores most of them.

The man bites his lip, and Jack’s face scrunches as the panicked look overwhelms the usually cheery presence.  “Gavin…  Come with me, right now, ok?  Let’s go get ice cream, I’ve missed you!  We’ve got a lot to talk about!” he mutters desperately.

The boy shakes his head, looking back at his brother.  “No…  I gotta stay here with Michael.  My brother needs me, he’s not feeling real good.  He can’t sleep and I gotta help him.” he says cutely, making Jack smile at his dedication.

Jack tilts his head, watching as Cameron gulps, turning away from the two.  “Cameron?  Is everything ok?  You look a little…  Well…  You look like-”

From the couch, the loudmouth folds his arms.  “He looks like he got run over by a car.” Miles chimes in.

Jack and Geoff both smack their faces painfully at the boy’s harmless, unknowing, yet painfully inconsiderate joke.

Cameron puts on a bright, smiling face.  “Well, pulled a few too many all nighters before midterms.  Still catching up on my sleep actually!  I’ll be fine in a few days, I’m sure.” he chuckles, comforting most of them.

Though Jack isn’t fooled, crossing his arms knowingly.

Gavin’s face lights up.  “Hey Cameron!  I’ll go if Michael can come!  He loves ice cream!  That’ll make him feel better!  Right?” he says, turning to the extremely fatigued looking child.  

Michael shrugs.

Laughing, Cameron shakes his head.  “I’m not sure if Michael’s dad would want me to-“

Geoff chuckles.  “No, go on!  It might be good for him to get out of the house some.  Especially with someone so cheerful as you.  Just have him home soon, I’d like to get him into bed early tonight.  One way or another.”

Jack’s body falls back into the couch, and an uneasiness settles over him, still unsure of why Cameron was so tense, and why he couldn’t stop staring at the two boys.

Rubbing his face irritatingly, Cameron eventually nods.  “Fine.  Should be an…  Eventful afternoon…” he stutters, pulling the keys from the pockets of his jeans.

____________________

The aroma of the second homehunters abode was amazing, a mixture of fruity pies and wonderful desserts.  Even for himself, Joel’s grin at his own work was comically evil.  Like a Maestro approaching a podium, the man was standing in the kitchen, busily chopping onions and other food that could be pre-prepared and warmed up the following day.  Beside him was Lindsay, who was stirring the bowl of cookie dough.  Instead of playing with Courtney and Dan out in the backyard, she’d insisted on helping him.  He certainly didn’t mind.

As Joel was busily chopping the onions expertly with a large knife, Lindsay turned to face him.  ”Jay, Grandma’s coming over tomorrow for Thanksgiving, right?  Well, I wanna know something.  How come when I talk to grandma she cries all the time?” she asks ever so innocently.

His hand slips and the once quick chopping nearly lops off one of his fingers, making a loud cracking noise against the cutting board.  Joel’s face crumbles, and his confident bravado melts before her.

Lindsay misses his abrupt change in attitude, still stirring merrily at the dough.  ”When she comes and visits or calls?  She hugs Dan and pinches his cheeks, and says what a cute little man he is.  Grandma and Courtney drink tea and talk, and they play with colors!  But…  When she sees me?  Every time she cries, and hugs me real tight.  Does Grandma not like me?” she asks worriedly.

Joel stands there, holding the blade in his hands.  He takes a deep breath, and exhales.  ”Lindsay…  I want to tell you something.  The truth..  About…  Your mother, and me and your grandma.” he says seriously, all humor gone from his voice.

The child looks up at him curiously.  ”My mommy?” she replies.

Joel nods, gulping deeply.  ”Margaret Tuggey.  Grandma and I knew your Mommy for a very long time Lindsay.  Her and I were best friends, and we all lived together in the same house.  Grandma and your mommy were coworkers for over ten years.  Grandma always thought of your mother as her real daughter. “

The girl says nothing, and Joel doesn’t look at her.  ”Grandma cries because you look so much like your mommy.  And since your Mommy died…  It just makes Grandma sad, because she knows you won’t get to be with her.  And because she has always loved you, even when you were a baby.”  he admits.

Lindsay stops stirring the batter, face askew, unsure of what to make of the information.

He bites his lips.  “I didn’t want to say anything to you about that…  Because…  I failed you.  I was listed as the person to take care of you in your mother’s will, and I was always supposed to be your father.  But I wasn’t the friend I promised I would be to Margaret.  I didn’t protect you after the accident, because I thought that you deserved a new home like with Mrs. Eldridge, who could pay and have time to rear you as a perfect lady.  Someone that would make sure you had a comfortable life, all the wealth in the world, and…  Not become such a smartass like me.” Joel mutters to himself.

Lindsay puts the bowl on the kitchen table and  looks up at him, pulling on his shirt.   

Not registering the girl’s question, he shakes his head.  “I’ve realized now…  That I was wrong to do that.  Margaret left you in my care for a reason, and I didn’t respect her wishes.  I thought that money and wealth would give you what I needed.  I always thought that way, ever since I was little.  But even when I had it, I realize now, more than ever..” he mutters, looking down at the child, smiling at her. 

"Family and love is what is most important in this world when it comes to raising a child.  And that is what I promise I will give you here.  Until the day I’m gone." Joel smiles.  "I guess you needed to know the truth at one point or another..  Because…  If you’re going to hate me…  I’d rather..  Just get it over with now while you’re young, so maybe…  Maybe you could forgive me at some-"

Lindsay smiles, pulling on his shirt again, interrupting him.  “What was mommy like?” she asked innocently.

His face pales, falling unbelieving.  “Huh?” Joel replies.

Her face is bright.  “What was mommy like?  You lived with her a long right?  Was mommy silly like you when she was littler?” she asked eagerly.     

Joel blinks several time, looking at the child in disbelief.  “She was…  A wonderful woman.  Wait…  Back up just a moment…  I must be going senile..  Are you…  Are you not mad at me?” he asked, stomach fluttering wildly.

The girl laughs at him. “Mad?  NO!  Jay, I love you.  You’re my daddy now, and you always knows whats best, and always keeps your promises!  Even Mommy said so!  You kept your promise and came back for me when Mrs. Eldridge was a big meanie!  You told me Michael didn’t hate me, and now he’s my best friend!  You let me stay with you in this new house and gave me my brother and sister!  I will NEVER be mad at you, EVER!” she replies happily, zero harshness in her voice. 

Joel looks away from her, feeling his eyes grow heavy.  “Mommy…  Said so?” he asked.

Lindsay nods her head.  ”Yeah!  Mommy told me a long time ago that if anything ever happened to her or daddy, or if I got lost and scared or needed a good friend?  To ask the police for a Jay Man, who worked for the See Pee Ess in Austin!  That he’d take good care of me and keep me safe no matter what!  To trust everything he said, cuz he was the best and smartest man in the whole wide world!  So I did!  When mommy went away, I told the firemen and the police and the ambulance people to find Jay Man.  I was scared without mommy, but…  You came for me!  Just like mommy promised.” she say proudly.

The man stands there, attempting Margaret’s face the last time he’d seen her.  It had been so long, he couldn’t recall it well.  He reopens his eyes, turning to the child, seeing Margaret in her face.  “Y…You…”

"So I’m not mad at you dummy!  I’m real happy I got my Jay Man to take care of me!  But my mommy!  I wanna know about Mommy!  Did she and grandma ever fight?  Did you and mommy have fun living together?  Where’d you live?  What about my other daddy?  Did you know my dad-… Jay, are you…  Are you crying?" she asked, looking at the man’s attempt to silence himself, hiccuping.

Joel laughs it off.  “Onions.  Blasted onions.  Make me tear up EVERY time.  You think a big strong man like me would cry?  I’m JAY!  I’m….I’m…” he pauses, chuckling.

The girl is not falling for it, crossing her arms.  “You’re crying Jay!” she says knowingly.

He picks the girl up, hugging her as tightly as he could.  ”Yeah, I’m crying.  Cuz I’ve got a great daughter that doesn’t hate me.  Don’t tell nobody though, it’s our little secret.  Daddy has a reputation to hold onto, ya know?” Joel mutters quietly to her. 

——————————————

Cameron managed to get both boys into the nearest McDonald’s without saying anything.  After Gavin ordered a chocolate shake for Michael, a McFlurrie for himself, and Cameron taking a black coffee, the three of them sat in a back corner, away from the rest of the restaurant. 

There is an awkward silence between the three of them that Cameron’s deep sigh finally decided to end.  "So Gavin, I learned something about -"

Gavin cuts him off rudely.  “Cameron, Michael had a real bad dream about his mommy and daddy, and it made him real sad.  Now he won’t sleep, doesn’t want to talk to no-one, and looks real sick.  Can you tell me how to help him?”

Michael shoots him an angry look.  ”You said you wouldn’t TELL!  YOU PROMISED!” he says angrily.

The boy takes Michael’s hands that were pointing at him accusingly.  ”JUST TELL CAMERON!”

Michael returns to slurping his shake, keeping quiet.  

Gavin hugs him, his face crushing into his shoulder.  ”Please talk to him!  I don’t like it when you’re sad Michael!  Cameron was with me with bruv died.  He knew how to make me feel better that night, and he’ll help you too!  I know it!” he says, looking up at Cameron with a pleading sincerity to his eyes.

He turns away, looking into his cup of coffee.  ”Gavin…  It was just a dream…  He’ll get over it.” Cameron states coldly.

The child is insistent, stomping his foot angrily at Cameron’s direction.  ”No!  You gotta help him with it!  Cameron, he’s my best friend!  My brother!  Michael helped me when I was real sad…  When I was all alone…  When I couldn’t talk, he talked for me!” he explodes loudly.  But before he could yell anymore, a light goes off in Gavin’s head, his face beaming.  He turns directly to Michael and looks him firmly in the eyes. “Can I tell him about it for you?  I can talk for you!  Like you did for me!  Please?!  Pretty please Michael!?” the boy pleads.

Michael hesitates for a moment, slurping his shake loudly, but finally nods. He shifts his position away from the two, facing away as Gavin turns right around to Cameron.  “Michael had a dream where his mommy and daddy died.  His old mommy and daddy, not Geoff and Jack.  His old daddy cut his mommy with a kitchen knife, but tried to cut him first!” he says rapidly, explaining the situation to the older male with great haste.

Cameron shudders, still staring into the black vastness of of his cup.  

Gavin frowns.  “He says it was real scary, and it sounds real scary!  But then there was a lot of blood, and his mommy was on the floor on top of him, and then his daddy used a gun and shot his own head!” he mutters, the words saddening him.

From the corner of his eye, Cameron notices the boy beginning to bite his lip, gripping his shake tightly.  His tiny knuckles were white, and he was shaking from a deep chill.

Cameron looks at him with pity, realizing…  

 _That wasn’t a dream._   _And..  You look just like…_   _He did that day…_

_-_

_“Bruv…..” Gavin says again, rubbing his nose against Cameron’s shirt._   
_He patted the child, and slowly rocked him._

_“Gavin. Every…. Everything….. I’ll…. We….” Cameron searches hard to find the words, but they won’t come._

_Gavin stops his crying for a minute, still hiccuping._

_“P…pp…. Pooh bear…. Winnie the poor bear…” Gavin sings, barely able to contain his sadness._

_Cameron smiles, remembering that stupid song Isaac constantly sang Gavin._

_“And when we’re alone…. And there’s nobody home…. It’s nice to be all to count on a friend… LI…. Li…ke….” Cameron stutters out, having no musical talent at all, but it still in some semblance of tone, his shaking and lonely voice giving the lines a much darker meaning.._

_“Silly ol’ Winnie the Pooh….” Gavin finishes, both of them trying not to cry._

-

_You idiot.  He’s just a child.  That boy is just like Gavin, but…  He never had someone there to hold him while his parents died.  He needs…  He needs…_

Gavin touches his hands gently.  ”Cameron!  How can Michael feel better?” he asks desperately.  His face was desperate, searching for an answer.

Cameron gulped, turning his head up to the boy.  “Michael?  Gavin?  Do you wanna hear a secret?  I think it would really help Michael out a lot, and maybe even you too Gavin.  But it’s a secret that only you two can know, ok?” he says, putting on the kindest voice he could muster from his acting classes.

Gavin’s brother looked up at him, eyes wide.  Gavin shot him a curious look.  Both nod quickly, giving the man their full attention.

He closed his eyes.  “When I was a little boy…  My mommy and daddy died.” he admitted.  Cameron takes a deep sigh, and Michael’s eyes burn into his face and weren’t leaving anytime soon.  “Some scary people wanted their money real bad, so they shot them.  I was at school when it happened, and I never got to say goodbye to them.” he says, taking a deep drink from his cup to break for a moment.  “Then I went to my grandma’s house to live with her.  But she was old, and couldn’t even got to the bathroom by herself anymore.  So she died too, real soon after I came to live with her.  I was playing outside when it happened.  So…  I never got to say goodbye.” he admitted.

Michael looks to his brother, and both exchanged sad looks with one and other.

Continuing, Cameron put on a bright smile.  ”I went to my Aunt’s house after that.  Auntie Garcia couldn’t keep me though.  I was too expensive, and she had so many other little boys and girls.  So one day, right after school let out, this nice man came and picked me up.  Said he was with Child Protective Services, and was going to take me to a new home.  Because my Aunt couldn’t take care of me anymore, and wanted to make it easier on me.  So…  I…  Never got to say goodbye to them, or my older cousins.” he mutters.  He inhales deeply, opening his eyes up.  “Then I went to live with my new mommy and daddy, and I got a big sister.  Her name was Mishi.  She was real sad, and got real sick one day, and..  She didn’t want to see tomorrow, and she died.  I was with my new mommy and daddy, getting ice cream like this when it happened.  I didn’t even know her that well, but…  I didn’t get to say goodbye to her either, and she’d been real nice.” he admits, gripping his cup of coffee tightly.

He turns to Gavin, looking at him fondly.  “I then met Gavin’s brother, Isaac.  I loved him the most of anyone I’d ever met in my whole life.  I was scared at first, to be his friend.  Because everyone I’d ever loved in my life?  They went away.  Every time.  But then I saw how sad Isaac was, and wanted to help him.  Because I cared for him, and I loved him.  So we became boyfriends, and…  Almost got engaged right before college.  But…  One day a mean ol’ man got drunk and drove near a park.  He ran off the road, so Isaac pushed me and Gavin out of the way…  And he died saving us.” he utters with a hitch in his voice.

Cameron stared at Michael, his face and features so close to the murderer’s.  Though there was no spite in the gaze he gave the child, who was watching him in horror.

Gavin looked down at his feet, his own face losing its composure.  But Cameron continued.  “I was real scared, Michael.  I had a lot of bad dreams, and some nights I didn’t even sleep.  Some nights I didn’t want to.  I’d dream about my family and Isaac, and wake up and be real sad that they weren’t with me anymore.  Or I’d dream about when Isaac died.  Sleeping was painful to me, but…” he mutters, cutting himself off.

He stands up, and goes to the opposite side of the table.  Grabbing Gavin, he sits the child in his lap and turns to Michael, smiling.

“I think I’m better now…” he admits truthfully, his face at ease.

Michael’s mouth trembles.  “How…  How’d you get to feel better?” he asks, in his usual demanding tone.  His voice was returning.

Cameron smiles.  “I met a family who was taking care of the last good thing I have in my life, and they let me be involved with him as much as I wanted.  I met a detective that told me to grow up and realize how silly I was being, and gave me some good advice.  And then I told two little boys named Michael and Gavin my biggest secret.  What I never told anyone else, even the man I loved more than life itself.  It made me feel…  Real good to tell someone.  Even if they don’t understand it.” he says, wiping tears from under his glasses, and turning back to them.

Michael looks at him seriously as he finished.  ”You just…  Talked?  And you feel better?  Really?  Does that make it ok?” he asks, hanging on to Cameron’s every word.

He nodded.  ”Absolutely.  I’ve never felt better.  Thank you Michael.  Thank you Gavin.  Thanks for listening.  If you tell someone you really trust how you feel…  Everything will be ok.” Cameron says in a bright voice.  His happy smile from all the years ago with Isaac on the sidewalk returned, as he began rubbing Michael on the back.

_I’ll never forgive you Mr. Jones.  But…  I feel like you’re making amends in your own way.  You have one hell of a son, far better than you ever were, even at six.  As far as I’m concerned…  Whatever debt your family owed us has long since been repayed.  This child…  Is not you.  Not by a long shot._

As Michael looks up at him, Cameron removed his hand from the child.  “And…  Michael, Gavin?  If there’s ever anything…  You want to tell me.  Or talk to me about in secret, that maybe you’re too embarrassed to talk about with your dads?  I’m here for you.  It’s easy for me to forget in my own sorrow that other people have suffered in this world too.  Just ask ol’ Uncle Cameron for ice cream, and we’ll go have a long talk!” he says, smiling.

Gavin’s brother stands up, and grabs him by the hand, pulling him off the chair.  “Cameron…  I wanna go home.  I gotta…  I gotta talk to my daddy.  RIGHT NOW!” he demands.  A little fire was back in his voice.

—————————

Geoff’s door SWUNG open, slamming against the wall and getting his attention.  The little red head of his group shut the door behind him, locking it tightly.  He walks over to Geoff, drags him away from his computer and onto the bed, all silently.  Michael pushes him down on the bed, climbing up in his lap.  

The two sit in silence, until Geoff puts his arms around the boy.  ”Everything ok?  Did you have fun with Camer-“

Michael cuts him off.  ”Daddy…  Daddy hurt me, like you said.” he says, gulping as the words escaped his throat.

The words give Geoff no comfort, but he smiles, seeing as the child finally admitted it for the very first time.  ”How’d your daddy hurt you?” he asked, hugging him tightly.

The boy gulps again, much more loudly.  ”He’d spank me on the butt.” he says, dully.

Geoff took a moment, breathing deeply, summoning forth patience.  ”Is that all he did?” he replied.

Michael shakes his head.  ”No…”  He took Geoff’s hand and placed it on his face, on the left cheek.  ”Daddy…  Would slap me here.  Real hard, and it hurt a lot…” he says.

The child takes a moment, breathing in and out deeply.  He moves Geoff’s hand, moving it to his long, curly hair.  ”Daddy…  Picked me up with my hair.  Grabbed it real hard and threw me.  One time he yanked part of it out, and I had to get a haircut.” he says, in a terrified voice.

Geoff pats the hair, rubbing it gently.  He’s still wordless, allowing the child to get it all out.

Before he could do anything else, Michael removes his father’s hand.  He then peels off his own shirt and re-grabs his father’s hand.  He places it on a very visible scar that was lined on his shoulder, a long pink line.  ”Daddy hit me real hard with one of his bottles.  Right here…” he says.  

Geoff rubs it softly.  ”I wondered where that boo-boo came from.  I’m really sorry that your Daddy hurt you like that.  It.. It wasn’t fair.  But you’re safe here Michael.  Nobody here will ever hurt you like that ever again, I promise.” he says, patting the boy on the shoulder.

Michael throws his shirt back on, and turns away from Geoff.  ”That’s all cept’ for where he’d kick me, and I don’t wanna take off my pants.” he says, motioning towards his privates.

Geoff fights back a set of tears, and puts his arms around Michael’s shoulders, hugging him from behind as tightly as he could.  ”Michael…  Thank you for telling me, and again…  I’m so sorry you had to go through all that.  Do you feel better now?  After…  Talking?” he asks.

The boy shakes his head.  ”I got..  A question first..  Was…  Was I bad?  Is that why daddy hit me so much?  Mommy says it wasn’t, but…  Why would daddy hit me if I wasn’t bad?” he says sadly.

He turns the child around, facing him directly in the eyes.  ”Michael, I-“

Michael’s face melts at last, tears flowing down them.  ”What did I do!?  I don’t wanna do it again!  I don’t want you to hurt me like Daddy Jones did!  I love you Daddy, and I don’t want to make you mad!  SO PLEASE!  TELL ME WHAT I DID!  I won’t do it no more!  I PROMISE!” he sobs, hugging Geoff tightly, burying his head into the man’s chest.  

Geoff’s face plummets, and his stomach is ill.  ”Oh my god…  Michael, you didn’t do ANYTHING wrong!  Son…  Relax.” he says, rubbing his back soothingly.

The boy hiccups, snot running down his nose.  ”YES I DID!  I DID SOMETHING!  THAT’S WHY DADDY HIT ME!” he screams angrily.

Geoff shushes him.  ”Michael, just listen to me, ok?  You told me your story…  So let me tell you mine, and I’ll tell you exactly why you didn’t do anything.” he says, the boy looking up at him expectedly.  Clearing his throat, Geoff sighs.  ”When I was little…  My daddy hurt me too.”

Michael’s eyes widen, his face struck in a panic.

Reluctantly, he puts Michael to the side of the bed, and grips the bottom of his shirt.  ”And…  I’m gonna show you something that I have never showed anyone before in my life except your Daddy Jackie.  Even him finding out was an accident, so…  I trust you with this, ok buddy?” he says, winking.

Self consciously, he pulls off his shirt, clearly uncomfortable.  On the front side, he looked like a normal man.  A little hair on his chest, and just a little meat on his otherwise skinny bones. Though he had a few tattoos spilling over onto his chest from his shoulders and arms.  He lays down on his stomach, exposing his back to the boy.  

Michael gasps, covering his mouth.  ”Daddy…  You got a lot of boo boos….” he says painfully.  

On Geoff’s back, it was covered in hundreds upon hundreds upon hundred of thin, red, almost lash-like marks.  They were mostly faded, but still plainly visible to one close enough as Michael was.  Half of his upper back covered some of the more deeper scars, but tattooed over to be hidden.  

He sighs, taking a moment or two before he speaks.  ”My father…  Mr. Ramsey…  Was an electrician.  I never knew the real reason why, but…  He’d come home from work every day and do the same three things.  Dad ate dinner, read the paper, and would take me into my room…  And whip my but as hard as he could.” Geoff admitted, 

Michael touches the scars on Geoff’s back.  They’re bumpy against the otherwise smooth skin, and he begins touching his own scar on his shoulder..

Geoff shook his head again.  ”He’d take the wires he used from his work, take off my shirt, and lay me down on the bed like I am right now.  Mr. Ramsey then whipped me.  Over and over again, endlessly.  If I didn’t say anything, it only lasted a few minutes.  If I spoke up, whined or cried?  It lasted longer and longer.  And, knowing me and my mouth, I always spoke up and yelled at him.  So it always lasted a long time.” he muttered.

The boy is speechless, gripping his shoulder instinctively.  ”Me too…  If I cried…  Daddy just yelled louder and would hit me more…”  There is a shared silence between the two for a few moments. “Did…  He stop?” Michael asks painfully.

Geoff nodded.  ”It did.  But the only reason it stopped, is because I fell on my back at school when a boy named Jamie pushed me down for cutting in line.  It re-opened the boo-boos I got that last night.  They bled through the tight bandages my mommy put on me every night.  The back of my white T-shirt got covered in blood, and was dripping everywhere.  At first, they thought I just fell and cut myself.  But after the principal held me down and took off my shirt and bandages?  They saw everything, and it didn’t take long for them to realize what it meant.  That very day, I lost my parents.  They denied everything, of course, but…  The evidence was pretty clear, and they probably would have gone to jail.  So my father and mother ran off, leaving me behind and alone forever.” he admits, the words painfully escaping his lips.  His eyes closed, a familiar cold entering his body.  ”I was…  Sad, because I lost my parents.  I loved them, and wanted them to love me.  I was…  Angry, because it wasn’t fair that I got hurt so much.  But most of all….”  Geoff shifts his position, turning to face his son.  ”I blamed myself for running them off and hating me.  I blamed myself for being a bad kid.  So…  I know how you feel.  I thought I did something wrong too.  But Mr. Anderson would clean my back every night, apply new bandages, and tell me that I was ok.  That I didn’t do anything wrong, and to know that I was a good boy that just had a bad father…” he exclaims.  ”I didn’t believe him.  I remembered all the things my father told me.  That I was a piece of trash, that I was worthless, and just a waste of money.” he mutters.

The last of the sentence catches Micheal’s eye, and he focuses on the back of Geoff’s head even more firmly.

Geoff chuckles. “But I learned something growing up Michael…  Something…  I hope that you believe when I say this…It was HIS fault.  Mitchell Jones, your father, hurt you because he was sick in the head.  He had something wrong with him that made him do that.  There was never anything that you did, and there was never anything that I did.  We weren’t to blame for anything Michael, I promise.” he says, raising himself off the bed.  Geoff grabs his shirt and slings it back on.  Returning to his seat next to Michael, he pulls him into a hug.  ”Son, I promise you something.  You will never ever do anything that will make me or Jackie hit you like your father did.  We might send you to time out, or get mad at you, and one day you might piss off one of your brothers and get into a fight with them, but Jackie and I will NEVER strike you.  Even if you yelled, and screamed and said that you hate us!  Do you believe me?” he asked, turning to look at the still crying child.

His son looks up at him with tear stained cheeks.  ”R…Really?  You really mean that?” he asks feebly, in a tone that was begging for acceptance.

He grins.  ”Michael, remember when you first came here and bit my hand as hard as you could?  Or the time you beat Dan’s daddy as hard as you could with the plastic baseball bat in front of the police?  Or any of the other times you were naughty and had a bad mouth?” Geoff asks.  The boy turns away in embarrassment, but nods his head.  He pats the child on the head.  ”Did I ever hit you those times or do anything but send you to your room, take away your toys or give you a stern talking to?  I’d say you were a REALLY bad boy when you did that stuff, but did we ever scare you when we punished you for them?” he asked.

Michael head’s shoots up, realization relaxing the muscles in his face.  His once stressed posture and shoulders falls, relaxing into Geoff’s side.  ”No!  You didn’t!  You just stuck me in the corner!” he replied happily.  The tears stopped, and his voice began coming back.  ”You didn’t hit me for being a bad boy!” he cheerily mutters, the truth of the matter sinking into his brain.

Geoff releases the boy, leaving him on the bed.  Kneeling down before him, he looked up at the child from the floor.  ”That’s because we love you as our son.  We don’t ever want to scare you like you were scared before, and we just want you to grow up to be happy and safe.  But as a good boy who does great things, which is why we still have to punish you when you’re bad.  Because one day you’ll be a grown up like me and Jackie, and I want you to be the best man you can be.  And we know you can do great things.  Every child can, even ones who go through what we did.” he states, patting the boy on the leg.  

The child smiles big, wiping the tears away.  Geoff stands up, grabbing the child and carrying him back towards the door in his arms.  ”Let’s go for a walk, just me, you and Jackie.  I’ll let Jackie tell you his story, so you’ll know that we’re serious.  Cammy-poo can watch the kids, and I’m sure I can convince Miles not to burn the place down!” he chuckles, getting a small giggle out of Michael.  

Unlocking the door, Michael takes a deep breath.  ”When I grow up…When I’m big like you and Jackie…” the boy starts, Geoff turning to him.  ”I wanna be a daddy like you daddy.” he says brightly.

Geoff snorts, a smile covering his entire brightening face.  ”Sure you don’t wanna be like Uncle Burnie?  Cuz he makes the big bucks and then you can give me LOTS of money!” he laughs.

Michael groans loudly.  ”DADDY!  I’m being SERIOUS!” he screams angrily.

______________

Cameron sat outside the house, with Gavin in his lap in the front lawn, looking up at the stars in the colder night.  The night was beautiful, with a full moon echoing in the evening.  After Michael and his father had a nice long chat, the boy had come out, still solemn, but with a great weight off his shoulders.  He smiled, talked, and then yelled at Ryan and Miles for tickling him to the ground.

Wanting a moment away with Gavin, Cameron’s mind was made up.  He’d never tell another living soul the truth, except maybe Isaac  once he was alone.  He realized what had happened wasn’t Michael’s fault, and to bring it up would only cause more pain for the two brothers.  Besides, the child had been abused enough in his life, he certainly didn’t want to add to it.     

And…   To be angry would just hurt me more than anyone else.

Gavin flips around, hugging Cameron’s neck. “Thank you for helping Michael.  I love you Cameron, you always know what to say!” he says happily.

He chuckles, returning the hug, and staring back into the boy’s eyes.  ”You and Michael are really close, aren’t you?” Cameron asks, his voice happy with the decision.

The boy nods.  ”He’s real nice to me.  Like bruv was, and like you are!  Michael is loud, but always protects me and always loves me!  We play together all the time, and I’m never lonely anymore!  I love my brother.” he says, turning around to look at the stars once more, but on the grass next to him.  ”Cam…  Remember when you said I could tell you anything?  Any secret?” the boy pouts, his mood changing quickly.

Cameron turns to him, taking the boy’s hand.  ”Of course Gavin…  Anything!” he replies, gripping his hand tightly.

Gavin sighs.  “I love my brother.  And my daddy.  And dad.  And Ryan and Miles and you and Ray and EVERYONE.  But…  I miss Isaac, and I feel real sad I can’t see him no more.  I wanna hug him again…  I wanna sing pooh bear, and tell him all about RWBY, and my brothers, and school and Dan…  And not just have Teddy to tell him.  I want to talk to HIM.  My bruv…” the boy says, eyes quickly tearing up.  His words become slurred, the child’s face cracking up.  He sniffs, clearing his nostrils.

Cameron’s mouth opens, but is interrupted before he could say anything.

“Gavin?  You ok?” says a small voice.  Cameron turns to the boy, and recognizes him as Dan, one of the children from next door.  He sits down next to boy, and holds his hand, taking the empty one that Cameron wasn’t holding.  

The child shakes his head.  ”No!  I want my bruv back!  I wanna talk to him!” he says, crying now.

Dan hugs him, patting him on the back.  ”I’m sorry Gavin.” he says sympathetically, letting the boy cry on his shoulder.

Cameron clears his throat, getting their attention.  “Well, there is one way you could talk to Isaac..  Or…  At least his body.  Remember where you went after the funeral?  Isaac’s there, and there’s a place where you can talk to him at the graveyard and tell him everything you want to say.” he replies. 

The boy shakes his head, burying it into Dan’s shirt.  “I don’t wanna go back to the graveyard!  It’s scary!  That’s where they put him…  In that hole…  Forever!” he cries, screaming the reply.

But as Cameron looks away, Dan clutches his hand.  “I’ll go with you Gavin!  I’m not scared of ghosts or zombies!  And I’ll make sure nobody puts nobody in a hole!  Promise!” he says bravely, his face scrunching in determination.

Gavin looks up from his shirt.  ”Really?” he asks sadly.

Dan nods his head, and after a few moments of sheepish hiding, Gavin does as well.

Standing up, Cameron stretches out.  ”Ok then.  We’ll go visit Isaac this weekend after Thanksgiving’s over.  Just the three of us.  We’ll pick up flowers on the way there.” he says, watching as both boys shudder slightly from the idea.      

_____________

In the cluttered mess that was the office of Monty Oum during crunch-time, Griffon and he decided to spend Thanksgiving together.  Both were alone in the world, both needed to do some work in the office, and neither wanted to put up with Burnie’s whacked out Thanksgiving traditions and nonsense.   Though the aroma of take-out Chinese left the room less than homey.

Twirling noodles around a set of chopsticks, she shakes her head, laughing.  ”Monty, sweetheart, not that I’m complaining, but…  Chinese food on Thanksgiving?  BAD Chinese food on Thanksgiving?  You really know how to show a girl a good time, don’t ya?” she laughs.

He rolled his eyes.  ”Yeah, well all the good places are closed and my cooking skills can burn cereal.  Not much else we can do, is there?” Monty replies, shoveling a large piece of chicken into his mouth.

She chuckles, and goes back to picking at her food sheepishly.  Monty notices it, and finally takes a deep breath.  ”What’s wrong Tex?  You’ve been real down lately.  All puffed up and sad and not telling anyone about it.  It’s not like you, I’m worried.” he mutters, finally speaking his mind.

Griffon turns away.  ”I…  It’s nothing.” she says, in a dull tone that she knows betrays her words.

Monty groans.  ”Doesn’t look like nothing to me.  Just tell me, you know I can keep a secret.  Besides, weren’t you the one that always called me Yoda?” he chuckles, getting a small grin from her.

She puts down her chopsticks, and takes a big breath.  ”An ex-boyfriend I knew ever since elementary school when I still lived in Austin, his name was Geoff.  He was…  Well, he had a hard time trusting people, and was just generally very hard to get along with.  He was a foster child who got beat by father.  Violently.  So…  When he was really little, he came to live with me and my foster family for a while.  But, my folks couldn’t afford to keep him and the other child that came with him.  So…  He went to a different home, and I stayed behind because I was there first.” Griffon states, clutching her jeans tightly.

Monty’s eyes grew wide. His attempt at eating halts immediately, and his breathing becomes labored.

_Gregory…  Kerry’s story, that chapter he wrote about the man who had to be given away as a child from the only people that ever treated him right.  Kerry is friends with Geoff and his family.  He wrote a story about his friends.  Could he have…  Talked to Geoff about his past?_

Griffon clears her throat, continuing, still not staring at him.  ”Umm…  His second home was just as bad as his violent father.  The mother didn’t take care of them.  At all.  She was just collecting checks, and made the children fend for themselves for food and water.  Showed them no love or attention that they so desperately needed.  But then at some point, she…  Started wanting more.  The demanded that he and his brother do things for her drug dealing boyfriend.  Be tiny little mules.  When his brother Jack refused, saying that drugs were bad…  She cut him.  With a knife on the back. ” she explains coldly, her stomach reeling in pain. 

Monty looked to the side of his desk, with the latest of Kerry’s work lying there.

_Jason…  That excerpt he sent asking me what I thought about the new grammar style…  Jason’s Shadow, that Christmas chapter when he had the flashback as a child…_

She sighed.  ”So Geoff hit his foster mother after that.  Got incredibly violent,  that they actually called the police.  When they got there, of course Geoff had nothing wrong with him, and the mother was injured, so…  While she didn’t press charges out of fear of being found out, Geoff went to an orphanage with his brother, and had a record.  They’d never be able to be adopted after that, and was at the mercy of the system until they were eighteen, where they’d have no support and nowhere to go.” Griffon says.

Biting his lip, Monty looks towards her, knowing full well where it’s going.  ”What does…  This have to do with you?” he asks rhetorically.

Griffon smiled.  ”He told me all this, on a rainy night in spring.  The day he told me that he loved me, and trusted me with his darkest secrets.  And that he knew we were meant to be together forever.  Geoff swore he’d protect me and if he could just have the chance, that…  He’d make sure I was happy for the rest of my life.  Because apparently I made him happy, and…  He wanted to hold onto that.” she says warmly, her hands relaxing.

He takes a deep breath.  ”How did you feel about that?” Monty asks, just wanting to let Tex talk it out.  

She smiled.  ”I felt the same way.  Even though I had parents like the Andersons, I had my own past to deal with.  Feeling loved and wanted?  Who doesn’t want that in life?  So lucky, at first.  I felt incredibly lucky to have found a wonderful man like Geoff.  While the world saw him as a violent punk with tattoos, and I must admit that I thought he was that way for a long time too…  I learned that he was the kindest man I’d ever met, bar none.  He never wanted me to feel like he felt in life, and dedicated himself fully to me.  Made sure I was happy, and never let me feel like I wasn’t the most amazing person in the world.” Griffon mutters fondly.

Monty raised his head to face her.  ”What happened?  Since you’re sharing Thanksgiving with me, I assume things…  Went south?” he asked.

Face plummeting, her body stiffens, eyes firmly planted to the floor.  ”One day…  An old man groped me, some homeless bum that was drunk.  We’d been out on a date, walking home.  The guy was so wasted that he probably didn’t even know what he was doing, I didn’t think anything of it.  I slapped him and threw him off me.  It was done.  Over with.  Taken care of.” she says disgustingly.  She takes a moment, and breathes in deeply.  ”Geoff pulled him into an alleyway from the ground I’d thrown him off.  Grabbed a pocketknife that I had given him for his birthday and threatened to cut the man’s dick off.  He yelled so loudly and so angrily, that I thought he was a different man.  The drunk started crying it was so bad, pleading for his life.  Even though Geoff didn’t mean it, it was over the top and basically illegal.  he was threatening a man, with an armed weapon wit bodily violence for god’s sake!” she screamed incredulously.

Monty took a deep breath.

_Gregory..  The man in Kerry’s story who thought the love of his life had been violated.  Who wanted to make sure a scumbag like that never drank that hard again, or never touched the one he loved in such a horrible way.  An action that he would forever regret for the very rest of his life._

Griffon sighed.  ”I screamed.  I yelled at him for what felt like an hour back at his place in the orphanage.  I told him how INSANE he was, asking if he WANTED to end up in prison.  Because what he’d done might have constituted as a crime that he might have served time for.” she mutters painfully.  Breathing difficultly, she crossed her arms, warming her now chilling body.  ”He said….  There was no point in him living if I wasn’t happy or safe.  That his life didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and that what he did was…  Just his way of protecting me and the people he loved.” she comments painfully.

Monty closed his eyes.

_Gregory, the man in the story who with one evening’s fight and argument, would forever regret the decision he’d made._

She grips herself tightly in the crossed arms.  ”I didn’t want him to live a life unlived.  He’d made me so happy, and our circle of friends were so close.  Burnie.  Elena.  Jack.  Jamie.  The five of us, we were so close, like a family.  We’d all come from different walks of life, but we all knew loss and pain…  Me, the foster daughter that got kept and adopted by the Andersons out of pity for my horrible past over my friends.  Elena, whose mother died when she was two, and had to be raised by a single father that worked every day of their life, ignoring her completely.  Jack, who was left locked in a cage for three weeks with a water bowl and scraps before he was found and went into foster care.  Jamie, whose father left him and never paid him any attention, with a mother that resented him for ever being born, never knowing what a real family was like.  We were all sad, all alone.  But when we were together, we knew a happiness in knowing that we weren’t alone!” she said happily.

Monty smiles, patting her hands as she places them on the table.  ”We’d all always talk about..  The future.  Geoff had this dream…  One he and his brother talked about all the time.  About a life where we all started our own orphanage, taking in kids off the street.  Because, I mean, the way we all grew up?  We all knew exactly how those kids felt.  And we knew how we  NEVER wanted to feel.  Geoff and Jamie would be the working dads, since they weren’t smart enough for college.  Elena would go off and get a good degree that could support us even more.  Then Jack and I would take care of the kids until everyone else got home, because we were the most patient and most parent-like.  That was our dream we all shared together.  A dream we wanted to make come true more than anything else.” she says fondly, smiling.  

Monty gasped.  

_Gregory, Kerry’s character…  The man who regretted everything he’d done in life.  The man who had a woman show him how foolish he’d been.  The man wishing nothing more than to thank her for what she’d done, for giving him the strength to follow his dreams.  The man who..  Became a fighter for those that couldn’t fight.  A father.  A friend.  And one hell of a man.  The one who would start…  The HomeHunters._

He smiled.  ”So…  What did you do?” Monty asks knowingly.

She looks down again, losing her composure.  ”After he said all that…  How his life didn’t matter?  I couldn’t just stand there and see him be like that.  He had DREAMS, Monty…  GOOD dreams that could have really helped out people in this world.  And…  I knew it was his turn to have something good in life.  I got the Andersons while he and Geoff got hell.  So I left, simple as that.  Gave him a letter that told him to grow up, live his life, go for his dreams, and if one day he got his act together and learned to love himself as much as he loved other people?  That I would come back, and we could try again.  But until then, I couldn’t see him, because I was a distraction, and the incident with the homeless man proved it.  So I packed up and moved out here with Burnie.  Got some odd jobs here and there, and eventually got discovered for my unique accent.  People love southern accents for..  Well, god knows what.  I quickly became “Tex”, the southern voice-actor and bit part star on a few shows.  Not at all what I expected in life, but Burnie always took care of me.” she said happily.

Monty grips her hand tightly, but she pulls away.  ”Anyway, what this big ol’ sorry story was SUPPOSED to preface?  Well, I met him.  He didn’t realize it was me, he was the guy that Burnie set me up on a blind date.  It was back when we were in Ausitn, just before I ran back home for that…  Emergency meeting.  He was great.  Happy, healthy, NORMAL, and has kids.  He’s living his dream and now owns a charitable organization called HomeHunters.  Geoff was able to move on in his life, and he’s living it to the fullest, and doing something wonderful with it.  He’s still single, but…  I guess, I’m just worried.  Worried that he might go back to the way things were.  Be overly obsessive over me, and neglect his children.  I don’t want that…  Those kids are adorable and need a father like him.  A good man who’s made so many mistakes in life, and knows how to keep them from making it.  And…  I just don’t know what I should do.  I’ve been worrying about this since Halloween.” she remarks.

Monty wipes his eyes, which had been forming tears throughout the whole story.  ”You HAVE to talk to him.  Call him!  Go meet with him!  Tell him it’s really you and just see what he has to say!” he remarks eagerly.

_"Gregory" wants nothing more than to just thank you!  Love or not, you made a big impact in his life!_

She shakes her head.  ”It’s not that easy!  What do you say to a man that you haven’t seen in a decade?  One that you’re still head over heels in love with?  Someone who you’re proud of and want to see stay the same!” Griffon exclaims, banging her head against the table repeatedly.  ”Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.” she says angrily.

He smiles, grinning.  ”You say hi.  Then wait for him to talk.  I’m sure he’ll have plenty to say, one way or another.” Monty remarks, returning to his food, cramming it in.

Griffon inhales deeply.  ”And that’s what I’m afraid of.  Of the sort of things he’d…  Have to say.” she says, rubbing her head into the table.

There is a moment or two of shared silence, but as Monty finishes chewing, he pokes Griffon in the head with his chopsticks.  ”Then how about a letter?  One just…  Saying how you really feel, and…  Letting him respond with how he feels in the same.  No awkward phone contact, just…  A way to, you know, let each other know how you feel and see if there’s any reason to pick things back up.  You’ve got to do this, or you’ll regret it.” he replies, watching as Griffon raises her head.

She says nothing, but looks at him in the eyes.  ”That…  Doesn’t sound as bad.” Griffon admits. 

____________

With several long tables, the HomeHunters and the friends and family that knew them the best were all sharing a dinner outside in their backyard.  With an absolute feast provided by Joel, Rebecca, Jack and Gus, it had been an absolute delight.  So as everyone sat, stuffed, full and almost miserable, a perky looking Caiti stands at the top of the table.

Clearing her throat, she raises a glass.  “Um…  Cheesy or not, there’s something I’ve always wanted to do with a big table like this.  So forgive me as momma Caiti does something silly.  All of us come from different worlds, but I think we can all agree on one thing.  We all have a lot to be thankful for this year.  In just half a year, I feel like we’ve become a real family here.  So..  Maybe it would be nice if we went around the table and said what we were thankful for?” she says hesitantly, blushing.

Jack chuckled, but shot up directly beside her.  “I’m thankful for our new Director, Caiti Ward, who is taking both work and stress off my plate.  And for the future of HomeHunters now being in the hands of one of the most determined young women in the world!  We have nothing to fear!” he says happily, beaming at her with a bright white smile.

There’s a loud groan next to him.  “Oh my god, just make out with her already.” Joel mutters under his breath, only heard by a giggling Kara next to him and a mortified Jack and Caiti both blushing.

Caiti smiled, swallowing her food with a reddening face.  “Well, I’m thankful to Jack, who’s given me a dream job, where I know I can help the world in a wonderful way.  But I’m even more thankful to know such a wonderful little girl named Courtney.  Who draws me pretty pictures for my office, and knows exactly how to cheery everyone up with her endearing attitude and unbreakable determination!” she mutters, patting the blonde on the shoulders, who’d sat across from her.

Courtney shakes her head, blushing.  “I’m thankful for Auntie Caiti.  And for my best friends Ray and Lindsay!  Cuz I have fun and love them all bunches!  And my big brother Dan who makes all the monsters go away from under my bed.” she says eagerly, smiling at the individuals around the table all facing her.

Ryan bows from the far end of the table.  “I’m thankful for Dad, who’s taken in this smartmouth kid as his own.  For Jackie, who takes care of me, and for Miles and Kerry, who have stuck by me through the hard times.” he says happily, smiling.

 Miles grins, raising his plastic cup next to Ryan.  “I’m thankful for Ryan, who taught me that’s it’s ok to be me.  For Monty, who showed me that I’m not worthless in life.  For Geoff, who gave me the most comfortable bed in the world and a new life I would trade for anything.   And for my mom, who…  I love and respect so much for trusting me.” he says, turning to Rebecca and smiling at her greatly.

Rebecca stands, her expression bright.  “I’m thankful to all these wonderful people, who have turned my son into a fine man.  One that I am more proud of than words could ever describe.  And for all these young men and women, who are making a great difference in the world!” she says, patting her son on the head.

Geoff watches as Miles’ face blushes, but a grin forming in the corner of his mouth.

Kerry chuckles beside Miles.  “I’m thankful for Geoff and Ryan, who’s given me a place to come and feel like I’m welcome everyday.  My mom, who I couldn’t do without in this world, and for Monty, who’s giving me a way to pursue my dreams!” he states, face bright.

Elena tips her glass to Geoff.  “I’m thankful for Geoffrey, who’s become a fine man that I know a certain woman would be eternally proud of.  And my son, who’s courage and strength have grown tenfold in these last few months.  And for this family, who..  Is, well, a dream come true.” she exclaims happily across from her son.

Around the middle of the table, Cameron raised a glass far above his head..  “I’m Thankful…  For being invited into the home of the finest people I’ve ever met in my life.  I feel like I have a family again.  One that I know isn’t going anywhere.  And for Gavin, my little brother who means more to me than anyone else in this world.” he remarks, ruffling the boy’s messy hair.

The child giggles, but Gavin stands up in his chair.  “I’m thankful for  my best friends Michael, Dan and Chris!  My bruvs Cameron, Ryan, Miles, Kerry and of course Isaac who’s in heaven!  For my brothers Michael and Ray, who I have lots of fun with! For my daddy Jack and dad Geoff, who let me talk and sing and have lots of fun every day!  For uncle Monty, who wrote RWBY, and Uncle Burnie for being a silly man!  For EVERYONE!” he exclaims at last, clapping his hands.

Joel smirks as everyone laughs at Gavin’s funny face, but raises his drink as well.  “I’m thankful for the hunky beefcake that made such a wonderful meal, and whose culinary skills are par-“

“JAY!” Lindsay says happily, sounding amused, yet annoyed.

He clears his throat.  “And for my kids, of course.  Lindsay, Dan and Courtney.  Who have made my tiny little house feel like a warm, cozy paradise.  And for Kara…  Who has been an incredibly good sport, considering she’s been forced to live with such a stallion of man, and hasn’t been tempted ONCE!” he says in a complete deadpan.

The adults snort and cough while the children look to each other in puzzlement, and Mrs. Luna blushes wildly at the comment.  

Kara rolls her eyes as the laughter dies down.  ”I’m thankful for Grandpa  Heyman, who will ALWAYS make me look so stunningly young and beautiful as long as I stand next to him!” she jokes, getting a table full of laughter in response.  Composing herself, she smiles.  ”But…  I’m REALLY thank I have Dan my little man.  Lindsay, my little red perky girl, and Courtney, my beautiful artist.  And for my best friend Barbie, who took ALL my work.” she chuckles as Barbara sticks her tongue out at the woman.

Lindsay stands up on her chair, much like Gavin had done.  “I’m thankful for Daddy Jay and Grandma Heyman who I love lots and lots!  For Mommy Kara, and my brother and sister!  And for Michael, who’s my bestest friend!” she says eagerly.

Beside her, Dan sheepishly raises his turkey leg he’d been continuing to munch on far after everyone else had finished eating.  It was oddly enough coated in ice cream from his dessert.  “I’m thankful for my new Dad, my best friend Gavin, and my Mommy Kara.  And for all the food here I got to eat!” he mutters, returning to his odd plate of food.

Geoff smiles, raising his red cup awkwardly to his side.  “I’m thankful for my children, who have made my life…  One that I’m proud to be living.  For my brother Jack, who has stuck by me through all the darkest days I’ve gone through.  And for Barbara, who gave us our children, and brought us all together.  We couldn’t have done it without you.” he mutters happily.

Babara blushes instantly, smiling. “I’m thankful for Geoffrey Ramsey, a fine man that…  Has no equal in this world, and who…  With his brother, have started something truly wonderful.” Barbara forces out, embarrassingly turning away from him..

Geoff snorts.  ”Very funny Barbie!” he chuckles.

Her face becomes irritated, sighing painfully as her compliment flew away from him.  Kara pats her on the back supportively.  

All eyes turn to the final person at the table.  Michael raised his cup, much like Geoff had just done, and the adults begin stifling a laugh that they’d all shared the entire afternoon.

On the boy’s arms were dozens upon dozens of marker scribbles.  Some crudely drawn compasses, a smiley face, and a chibi-fied bear’s happy wink, courtesy of Courtney.  They were quite obviously his attempts at tattoos. “I’m thankful for ALL you guys, specially’ Gavin and Daddy.  But I love all of you, cuz you’re my family!” he says happily, smiling more brightly than he had the entire stay in the prior six months.   

Geoff snorts.  “Oh, I forgot one.  I’m thankful for water-soluble ink” he chuckles out alongside the other adults.

__________________________

The Narvaez estate’s Thanksgiving had been painfully quiet as Carlos was being escorted away.  He’d been hitting the booze hard that day, leaving Emilio by himself with the rest of the family’s personal guard alone at the table.  With Luis out of town, Sara and Mia declining the dinner invitation, he was all alone.  The guard been eyeing him the entire evening, making him incredibly nervous as they stood around the room.

Carlos stops the man carrying him from advancing, turning back to Emilio and winking at him.  ”Your son!  I know the Perrrfeeeeict way to make Loooie hurry.  We’re going to kEEEL her.  His wife, the stuck up bitch!  Gonna gut her like a fish and make the girl watch!  HAHAHaa….  She’ll get training EARLY!  You remember?” he says proudly, slapping the knee of the guard, signaling him to move again.  Emilio’s face turns white, and he sinks back into the elegant chair.  

Emilio took a deep breath, his stomach gargling with the remains of his dinner wanting to make a stunning reappearance.

_This…  This is my life…  The life my son would.._

His eyes widen, a familiar woman’s voice running through his mind.

_"Maybe if you were a real man like Luis, you’d stand up for yourself. Actually WANT to try and give your own son a good life.  Instead of damning him to your…  Your…  Shadow.  Or your father’s insanity." Madeline screams in toxic manner, letting her rage fly._

He covers his face, rubbing it painfully.  ”He’d live this.  Face it like I have, only worse.  He’d have to become just like us.  Just like I and…  Luis did…  Mia too, she’ll…  Have to watch all of this…  But…  How can I…  How can I stop it?  I’m…  I’m… Just…  I don’t have the power to..  stop him..  I never had..” he says, almost sobbing into his hand.

A cleared throat brings him out of his pity, turning towards one of the G-Men.  In a dark black suit, with a red tie and sunglasses, he looked the part of a hit-man perfectly.  Emilio recognized him as one of Carlos’s personal attendants, a trusted man to be sure.  ”You wish for the power to make change?  Coincidentally…  Just so you know sir…  The guard support you as the heir to the Narvaez Estate.  We know that you wouldn’t run things the same way we’ve been running them for the last five decades.  And…  Should you decide to do anything about it…  We will be there for you.  With…  Proper incentive and promise of no ill-will afterwards, of course.” he mutters quietly to the boy.

Emilio sits there fro a moment, breathing heavily.

_Do I…  Do I dare?_

Carlos chuckles loudly in the other room, still highly intoxicated, and still rambling to his escort about the descriptive manner in which he will “end” Sara.  The unspeakable horrors spoken cause both him and the guard to turn away, cringing.

Emilio turns back into the world of his memories, closing his eyes.

_"Ray.  I’ll name him…  Ray.  My little boy…  The light of my life." Emilio says, holding the child in his hands for the first time, watching the baby coo happily.  "I’ll..  I’ll always do right by you, even if you Grandfather doesn’t."_

_"Mia!  Such a darling little girl..  She’s adorable Luis, I’ll always treat her like my own!  I swear!" Emilo chuckles, rubbing the quiet baby’s head gently._

His eyes shoot back open, and turn to the man, who had been patiently waiting.  Mind set, he summons forth the darkest, most intimidating voice he could muster.  ”Help me get Carlos out of the picture.  Double pay to those that stay afterward  _or_  an offer to leave the family, no strings attached and no questions asked.  But if they do exactly as I say, I’ll make it worth their while in whatever way they want.  When I’m head of the family, and Carlos is no longer in power?  I’ll do right by everyone in this organization.  You have my word, and likely the word of my brother.” he says, in a voice very reminiscent of his Luis’s.

The attendant snaps his fingers, and several additional guards come to his side from all around the room.  They whisper among themselves for a few moments, until finally the original one steps forward.  ”For those that leave, we request a severance package to get us somewhere safe and out of bounds.  Cash.  New identities.  The works.  Non-negotiable.” he says quickly, in a firm tone.  

Emilio nods without hesitation.  ”Done.” he mutters.

The seven or eight of them nod, and they all pull out cell phones, dialing numbers quickly, relaying a message to many people within the family.  The original guard removes his sunglasses, revealing a set of incredibly tired and bag-ridden eyes.  “Sir?  If I may…” he mutters.

Emilio doesn’t say a word, the anxiety of the situation still gripping his skin.

He smiles feebly.  ”We believe in you and Luis.  Even when you were children, we knew…  The guard knew that you two would be the ones to change this family and realize how far your father has fallen.  Ever since the incident back in Puerto Rico, after he lost his wife…  He became a different man, completely crazed with the notion of power.  So…  Thank you…  None of us are happy with the way things are, and…  Even the tiniest bit of hope that we’ll change direction under you?  I’ve never felt happier in my life.  I guarantee that everyone else feels the same.”, the guard says.

The man offers his hand to Emilio, and he takes it, shaking it firmly.  ”I wish…  I had the courage to do this sooner.  Thank you..  For your support.  I wouldn’t have done it without you.” he says.

The attendant shakes his head.  ”No.  We understand.  All of us live in fear of that man, and for good reason.  If we weren’t united, we’d never stand a chance against that monster.” he said, turning away from Emilio as Carlos re-enters the room, laughing and stumbling around.

"EMIIII….  I…   I gooooota greeeaaat plane!  Player…  PLAN!  PLAN, that’s it!" he slurrs, laughing uncontrollably, grabbing onto Emilio’s shoulder as a brace.  

Emilio takes him by the shoulder, and begins re-escorting him back to the room.  ”Father…  Can you and I talk?  About…  Everything?  I think we should…  Discuss things, maybe…  Talk about laying off on a few subjects?  Or maybe-” he starts, being cut off quickly.

The man spits out a fit of laughter, a million miles away from the rest of them, ignoring his son completely.

Emilio shakes his head.  

_I tried._


	21. Gavin and Dan's Courageous Voice

As everyone was going around the table, talking brightly about what they were thankful for, one child remained ever silent.  Ray’s face lowered and lowered, a frown growing more and more prominent with each person’s happy words.  Eventually, as his heart ached the most, he slipped away from the table.  Grabbing his plastic cup, he pretends to walk over to the drink table for a refill.  But he drops the cup as he reaches the location, running inside while everyone laughed at Michael, nobody paying him any mind.

Shutting the back door behind him quietly, Ray dashes off towards his room.  Entering it, he locks the door and jumps directly for Mr. Paco, who was laying across the bed.  He hugs the bear tightly, and huddles down beside him.  Sobbing into him for a few minutes, Ray leaves little space between his face and the bear’s.  But as he calms himself, coming up for air, he looks around the area, tears streaming down his face.

In the days since he’d first arrived at the HomeHunters, Ray’s room had become a lot more video-game themed.  On his small bookshelf, Miles let him keep all the games he finished by himself on it, like trophies.  At least fifteen various games littered it, each one with a different set of wonderful memories that left him smiling at he started them.  He had Mario-themed mushrooms, coin blocks, and Goomba stickers adorning his wall, gifts from Burnie.  World 1-1 was wrapped around  the top of the walls, in a small banner.  There was a small TV on his dresser from MIles’s house, and an old Super Nintendo hooked up to it.  

Ray clutched his bear tightly, and crawled from the top of his bed, towards the dresser opposite him.  It was the antiquated gaming system and he and Mr. Paco dove for, turning it on with a loud click.  He grabbed the controller that was carefully wrapped to the side of the system, unraveling it delicately.  Sitting on the end of the bed, EARTHBOUND lit up on the screen in bright golden letters, with a loud jazz orchestra playing in the background.  ”I’m coming mommy…” he mutters, adjusting his hands to accommodate both the controller and his bear.

He sniffed, selecting his save file as the main menu opened.  Ray’s sad face slowly evaporates, and a smile begins forming as the screen revealed the inside of his character’s house, where he’d left off.  His avatar (a boy in a striped shirt and big red ball cap) was being followed by three other characters.  A girl in a long pink dress, a blonde boy in glasses and a school uniform, and a Princely child from India in kung-fu garb.  The four of them walk over to a lovely woman with long, blonde hair in a red dress, the main character’s mother.  Selecting the “Talk to” function on the menu, the character’s mother begins speaking in text-form.  ”Hi Ray!  I know you must be tired, there’s no reason to say a word!  Just eat some Cake and scurry on up to bed!” the text reads as he speaks to her through his avatar.  The screen goes black, and a victory noise appears to signify healing, and Ray’s character appears in his bedroom on the second floor of his home.  A warm, homey melody plays, leaving his face smiling gently.

A tear rolls down Ray’s cheek, the boy wiping it away awkwardly under his glasses .  ”I… I’m…  Thank…  ful….  f…F…For…Mommy….” he mutters, choking on the words as they exit his mouth.

-

_A young mother and her son walked back into the the nice hotel room, with bags of take-out food on both their arms.  They were still on Vacation from Daddy, so they were all the way in New York City.  It was a special week too, so they’d gotten a real nice room and gotten a lot of real good food, and Mommy said they’d try and go to to a movie too!_

_Maddie places the food on the table, grabbing Ray’s small handful as well.  Once her arms were empty, she turned around, smiling widely as she strips off her winter coat.  Taking Ray’s off as well, she neatly hangs them onto the hotel’s small closet space.  Once finished, his mother picks him way up into the air, swinging him around happily in a big hug.  ”HAPPY THANKSGIVING RAY!” she exclaims happily, pulling him into a hug._

_Ray hugs her back, snuggling his head into her chest.  ”Happy Thanksgiving Mommy!” he replies back in a bright, innocent tone._

_The woman holds him tightly for a moment or two, pulling him away slightly.  ”Oh Ray…  You’re getting so big!  Almost five years old in a few weeks!  What am I gonna do with you little man!?  You’re…  You’re getting all grown up!” she chuckles sadly, wiping the curly bangs gently from his face.  She bites the ends of her lips nervously, but the gesture goes unnoticed by the child._

_Madeline places the child in a chair surrounding the small table.  She sits beside him, cracking open take-out containers and splitting the various Chinese food between them.  She smiles, giving Ray an extra helping of rice, his favorite.  ”So Ray…  What do you want for your birthday?  We could probably go shopping and get you whatever you want before we leave the city!  There was a big toy store I saw walking home!  We could stop there on the way to the movies!” the woman exclaims happily._

_Smiling, the boy grew a big, happy grin on his face as he chewed his food with a new, hastened determination.  Swallowing, he stands up on the chair, eye level with his mother.  ”Can we go home and see daddy?!  And uncle?!” he yells giddily, hopping on the chair with an excited face._

_Her own food meets her mouth, silencing what would have otherwise been a loud gasp.  Eying her son, she chews her food slowly, taking far longer than she would have otherwise._

_Ray sits back down, returning to his food.  ”I wanna see daddy REAL bad.  You said he’s nice, right?  Gave us all that money and let us go on vacation as long as we wanted?  He must really love us!  I wanna see him and give him a BIG hug!  Then we can play games, and maybe go on vacation together!  I wanna go back to Disneyworld!  Then we can ride Space Moutain!” he said, stuffing his face full of rice and chicken.  Swallowing prematurely, he chokes a bit, but fights through it.  ”And I gotta go to school too!  I can’t wait to make friends and learn all sorts of cool stuff!” Ray shouts happily, continuing to shovel food at an insane pace, eying a certain container to the side of the table._

_Madeline’s face goes blank, watching her son eat and continue to talk more and more about the planned reunion.  And of other aspects of his life that would soon become a necessary part of him growing.  She breathes in deeply, exhaling slowly.  ”Ray…  Do you…  Want to go home?  And…  Have your daddy?” she asks slowly, choking the words out._

_The boy nods.  ”Uh huh!  Can I have that for my birthday!?  My family!?” Ray says, speaking with his mouth full of food, rice spraying out._

_She turns her face away.  ”Well…  Probably not this year baby, but…  Maybe next year…  Daddy’s…  Daddy’s real busy.” Madeline remarks coldy, watching in agony as the boy pouts._

_Ray slinks back into his chair, now barely picking at his food.  The once eager child was now solemn, a sad look now enveloping him._

_Grabbing a small bag from beside her on the table, she lifts a clear plastic container from it.  The one Ray had been eying intently just a few moments ago. Inside of it was a delicate, hand-crafted cake.  ”I know, I’m just as sad as you are sweetheart…  But don’t feel bad!  Here, I’ll let you have some BEFORE dinner’s over.  It’s your favorite, sweetheart!  Chocolate cake on the inside, white buttercream frosting and big strawberries!” Madeline gently proclaims, placing the entire container before him._

_The child doesn’t smile as brightly as before, but a small grin edges out of each of his lips.  “Thanks Mommy…” he says, eyeing the cake greedily with a hungry look._

-

After playing for about ten minutes, repeating the same cycle of cake and sleep with the character’s mother in-game, a knock comes at Ray’s door.  He jumps up, turning to the side of his room, dropping the controller out of his hands.  ”Ray?  You in there kiddo?  My mom’s got a special pie made just for you!  We know how much you hate Grandpa Joel’s chocolate cakes, but maybe you’ll like pie?” Miles exclaims loudly through the door.

Ray clutches his bear tightly.  ”OK MILES!” he yells, listening as the older teen walks away from the door slowly.  The child sighs, laying his teddy gently on the pillow at the top of his bed, and patting him on the head.  From there, he rushes back to the television set, placing his hand gently on the power switch of the console, staring at the screen’s red dressed woman.  ”I miss you mommy…  I wish you’d come back and let me see daddy…  But Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you’re having fun without me…” he mutters quietly, switching off the console with a loud click.  The screen goes black, dissipating the imaginary world.

________________

(The following days)

The Austin cemetery region and final resting place of Gavin’s brother was littered with hundreds of headstones.  Walking across the grassy field, Cameron and the two younger boys came to a clear stop at a grouping of three headstones.  

Gavin hid behind Dan, resting on the child’s shoulder, clutching a bouquet of roses in his tiny hands.  ”That’s…  My…  Bruv, isn’t it?” the boy says quietly.  Dan turns to face Cameron, and the older man nods.  

He squats down to the children’s levels, placing his hand on Gavin’s back.  ”Mhhm.  Your brother’s here Gavin.  Didn’t you have something you wanted to say to him?” Cameron asked, rubbing the boy’s back slowly.

After a few minutes of silence, Dan turns around to face his friend, grabbing him by the hand.  ”Come on…  I wanna talk to him too.  I’ll talk first if you wanna.” he said, pulling Gavin closer to the headstone.

Nodding, Gavin allows his friend to take the lead.  Cameron merely watches as Dan and Gavin stand hand-in-hand, staring at the headstone quietly.  As Gavin turns his head away, his friend smiles.  ”Mr. Isaac…  Thank you for listening to me all the time with teddy!  Thank you for giving me my mommy and daddy.  I’m so happy, and I love them lots!” he explains, turning to face Gavin.  ”And I’m glad you helped Gavin find his daddies too, cuz now we live next door!  We’re best friends, and play together every day!  It’s the best!” Dan says brightly.

Cameron tilted his head curiously at the boy.  ”Dan?  You talk to Isaac too?” he asked, finally taking a cross-legged sitting position beside the two children.

The child didn’t move his stare, still looking at the gravesite without any interruption.  ”Yeah.  When I stay the night with Gavin, or Gavin comes to my house?  We talk to teddy, who talks to Isaac!  That’s what Gavin said happens, anyway!  So I asked teddy for a home like Gavin, with a good daddy and to be happy!  And the next day, Mommy Kara said we were gonna live together!  So I like Mr. Isaac.  He’s a nice grown up, even all the way up in heaven!” Dan replies, gripping Gavin’s hand more tightly.

There is silence between them as Gavin releases himself from Dan’s hand, placing the bouquet of roses gently atop the grave.  Sniffing, the boy wipes away a small set of tears from his face.  ”Isaac…  I miss you bruv.  I want you to come home and live with me again.  I wanna play piano and go back home…  Just you, me and Cameron forever.  You made me real sad by going away…” he mutters pitifully.  The child steps away from the grave backwards, sitting down next to Cameron, and Dan joining them as well.  There is silence as the boy gathers his strength, finally staring at the site again, hugging into his knees.  ”But…  If I have to have a new daddy and bruvs…  I’m real happy with the ones you got me.  I love my brothers Michael and Ray.  My bruvs Ryan and Miles are the best, even though they’re a little silly.  I got a fun family, and they let me talk whenever I want!  Daddy’s not scary like mommy was and reads me stories whenever I want, and dad is real fun to play superhero with Ray!” he says brightly, smiling.  ”So thank you bruv.” he finishes.

Cameron turned to face Gavin, chuckling.  ”So Isaac got you Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Pattillo?  I thought Barbara did that!” the man commented, smirking at the innocent expressions on both children.

The boy nodded.  ”Yeah!  I talked to teddy like you told me to!  He talks to Isaac in heaven, right?  So every night I stayed with Barbie, and every night before I go to bed, I asked for a  family that was happiest in the whole wide world!  And for a brother like Isaac, and for a brother like you!  That means Isaac got me everyone!  And brought us all together!  Right?” Gavin asked, turning to him with a blank stare.  

Dan watched him equally enthralled, bouncing up and down on his rar.  ”Me too, me too!  Mr. Isaac gave me my mommy and daddy I asked for too, remember!  So it’s gotta be true!” he yells, his friend smiling at the support.

Cameron inhaled deeply, shaking his head.   _"And how do I explain the concepts of metaphysics to children?  They can barely explain the world around them, heaven forbid they try and understand what adults can barely grasp themselves…"_  he thinks to himself, staring back at the growing look of expectation the children were gaining.  ”Well…  What do you guys think?  You think Isaac did all this?” he asked, turning the question back onto them.

Both children nod their heads eagerly, and Gavin hops up, staring into the sky.  ”I know he did!  Cuz he’s my bruv!  He’d always take care of me!  He promised!  And bruv NEVER broke a promise!” he exclaims loudly.  

Dan stands up beside him, looking up into the sky as well.  ”If Gavin says so…  He’s probably right.  Gavin’s real smart at school.  He KNOWS things.” the boy says confidently.  

Laughing, Cameron stays seated, sighing happily.  ”Then who am I to argue?  I can’t prove he didn’t…” he says brightly.      

Gavin smiled, saying nothing at the acknowledgment, but merely closes his eyes.  ”Isaac…  I’ve been practicing my singing real good for you.  I wanna sing pretty like you did, cuz it always made me feel happy.  So here’s a song, JUST for you!  And this is my FAVORITE song from my FAVORITE show!” he said excitedly.  Taking a deep breath, he begins humming for a few moments before opening his mouth.  ”Red like roses… Fills my dreams….  And brings me to the place you rest….”

Dan turns to him, smiling.  The boy joins Gavin, belting out a voice far less prepared than his friend’s.  ”White…  Is cold…  And…  Always yearning…  Burdened by a royal test….” he sings, far out of tune, but in a deeper voice than Gavin’s.  

Gavin smiled back at his friend.  ”Black the beast… descends from shadows!” he sings, in his lighter tone.  

Both of them smile gleefully, now singing in unison.  ”Yellow beauty…  Burns….  Gold….” they finish, laughing at each other happily.

Cameron closed his eyes, listening as the children repeat the same lyrics over and over again.  While Dan lacked any talent whatsoever, the melodic tone from Gavin made it an incredibly touching piece.  A sly grin appears over his mouth.   _"Come Christmas Isaac…  Your brother is going to make that song even more amazing, and have the talent that you had.  And I’ll bring him back every year…  So you can see how far he grows."_  the man comments to himself.  

-

Sitting far above them in a tree branch, a stranger watches.   With dark brown hair, in a comfortable black suit and golden tie, the man looked incredibly happy.  He closes his eyes as the children begin singing another song, about mirrors.  The man’s body relaxes, leaning into the tree slightly.  Time flows far differently for the man, and he watches the evening soon takes over the sky far more quickly than he liked.  As the group leaves behind the bouquet of roses on the grave, the small golden-blond child waves goodbye fondly, alongside his dear friend who was cowering from the darkness creeping over the landscape.  The nervousness is quickly abated, with the handsome young adult promising them ice cream on the way home. The children begin hopping up and down excitedly, ignoring the creepy darkness, and rushing towards the car as fast as their feet could carry them.  

Once the visiting group was out of sight,  the man hops from the tree, floating down slowly towards the grave.  A few golden-brown feathers fall from underneath the man’s coat, littering the ground.  He smiles, staring at the flowers barely visible in the setting sun.  ”I wish I could have been there for you all.  But…  I have a different job now.  I look forward to courageous songs to come in the following years…  Gavin…” he mutters, taking a single rose from the bouquet.  Removing a large portion of the stem, he gently placed the bloomed rose into his chest pocket.

Walking the path opposite of the parking area, the man becomes less and less visible as he makes his way into the dark part of the cemetery.

________________

The Austin psychiatric ward gleamed in the warm light of sunset, creating an amber glow in Mrs. Denecour’s room.  Walking inside, Caleb smiles as he watches her reading a book, oblivious to the world around her.  She doesn’t acknowledge the boy entering the room, her eyes never leaving the pages.

Caleb holds his breath, releasing it soon after.  Making his way into the room, he takes a seat next to hospital bed, sitting in his usual wicker chair.  The boy closes his eyes, using his hands to grip his knees tightly.  ”I’m just gonna talk today.  The nurses say you’ve been doing well, so…  Maybe you’ll…  Want to hear my good news, and how I’m…  Going to move on from everything.  I know you freak out when you hear my voice, but try and tough it out…  For me?” he says carefully, in a controlled tone.

Mrs. Denecour looks up from the book, staring at the wall across from her, not looking in her son’s direction.

Watching her eyes carefully, Caleb gives her a moment to focus clearly, as to not overwhelm her.  Her face remains stoic, and the boy turns his head back down.  ”Starting next semester at school, I’m going to be an intern with a program called HomeHunters.  I’m still in school, so it’ll take longer than if I did a daily course, but by the time I graduate,  I’ll be eligible to…  Well, be a father.  A special kind of foster father.” Caleb says, a soft smile enveloping his face.

Her eyes widen, and she turns to see her son.  The woman’s expression changes, with her jaw dropping slightly, and chest rising and falling more rapidly.  

Caleb doesn’t wait for her to catch up, the boy still caught up in his own thoughts.  ”…And I’m going to do it.  I know how you and Dad always wanted me to go to college, but…  This is what I want, and Dad says it’s ok.  So…  Out of high school, I’m going to be a full time, fully paid foster parent to a special needs child.  You know, kids like…  Me.  Who went through traumatic shit real young, and who don’t have parents to get them through it.  And while they’re at school, I’ll be a part time agent for em’.  Helping Director Ward run the administrative things or whatever they need me to do to make the company better.  My friend Jordan is doing it too, but…  He’s not as sure it’s what he wants after school is over, but he’s supporting me as a friend doing this so I’m not alone.” he states affirmatively.  Caleb looks up, staring at his mother directly in the eye.  

Mrs. Denecour’s lips tremble, attempting to purse together.

Disregarding the woman’s nervousness, Caleb stands from his seat, folding his arms.  ”I guess what I came here to say to you is…  I don’t feel guilty about anything that happened.  No, I know what happened wasn’t my fault, and I’ve got the courage to admit that to you now.    You did what you did for whatever reason, and it breaks my heart knowing that I’ll never know my brothers and sisters, but..  This is for me.  This is me moving on now, and living my life the way I want to, and doing it happily.  Because I like taking care of children, and I like giving kids the kind of life that I never got to have.  A life where they have someone that cares about them, and who will always be there, no matter what bad times come.” he finishes, turning away from his mother. The man sighs again, wiping away a set of tears from his face.  ”But even though I’m moving on…  I wished you would have told us what happened.  At least US.  Dammit, dad and I suffered over this until NOW!  You made it a hell of alot harder for us, you know!” Caleb choked out, screaming. Making his way towards the door to calm himself, he stops as something grabs his hand.

Looking down, Caleb sees his mother’s hand grip his tightly.  The bony fingers and delicately cared nails dig into his skin.  ”Accident.” she says wispily, her voice barely audible.

Caleb hitches his head back, holding his breath.

His mother begins hyperventilating, tears running down her face.  ”ACCIDENT!” she repeats, but more fiercely than before.

Kneeling to her side, Caleb stares at his mother face to face.  ”What?  What was an accident?  The…  The car wreck?  Was that…  An accident?!”

She nods her head, using her free hand to cover her face.  ”Avoided…  Hitting…  Little…  Squirrel….  Didn’t…  See….  The pole….” she says slowly, each word spread apart by seconds of painful silence.  His mother shakes her head violently.  ”Not…  Because…  Of…  Them…  But…  Nobody….  Would…  Have…  Believed me…” she stammered out.

Caleb takes her hand into his own, his face broken, tears running down his own face.  ”It was an accident?  You…  You didn’t try and…  Kill yourself?  You were just avoiding a squirrel?  That’s all?!  Why didn’t you say anything?!” he asks, painfully.

Her lips tremble.  ”I…  Loved…  Them….  But…  I….  Killed….  Them…  My…  Fault…  I….  Killed….  Them….  I…  Killed…  Them… ” she explained, in a repeating cycle of her previous three words.  Losing her composure, she leans back onto the bed, turning away from her child.  Speaking the same words over and over again, shaking and crying softly to herself.

Standing up from the bed, Caleb presses the “Call Nurse” button.  Taking a minute to think for himself, he rushes out of the room, leaving the door wide open as he sprints loudly through the wallway.  

________________

Black Friday and its following weekend sales was, for all intents and purposes, one of the most horrifying days of the year for shopping.  For the residents of the United States, it was a day where the fashion and sales industries attempted to move “into the black” financially and turn a profit for the year in time for the Christmas rush.  With massive sales, bargains, and deals on just about anything, it was a time to get anything you wanted cheap.  Well, for those willing to face the horrors of the crowds, and willing to fight other shoppers (sometimes literally) to the death.  

For Geoff and Jack, few things frightened them, and the two men had braved the store with the older boys they were keeping for the afternoon.  The younger ones stayed in the safety of the Heyman/Eberle residence.  

While Miles and his friends ATTEMPTED to find some deals on games and electronics, they were 1000% done.  Within ten minutes, the frightened teenagers had abandoned most of the stores in the nearest mall, sitting on a bench and watching as people fought and punched each other over random articles of clothing.

Kerry’s face was pale, breathing deeply beside Ryan.  He clung to the taller male, grabbing him by the arm.  ”I have never been more frightened before in my life.  Make the bad people go away Ryan!” he commented, watching as a woman in bright red hair knocked an elderly grandmother in a walker to the floor.  Only the have the grandmother stand up, grab said walker and slam it over the woman’s head.  

Turning to his friend, Ryan shook his head.  ”No…  I think we’re just going to die here.  But at least we’re together!” he commented in a frightened tone.  

Aside from the other two, JJ was rubbing his forehead painfully as Miles crossed his arms.  ”You’re insane!  There is no way in hell I’m doing that, and no way in hell that you’re taking my book yourself either!” Miles exclaimed.  

Ryan and Kerry turned toward him, getting in on the conversation as JJ stood, standing before the boy.  ”JUST LISTEN TO ME YOU ASSHAT!  Your gaming book is kickass, and I want copies of it!  But more importantly, people would DIE for that kind of detail in achievements, and RPG gamers would sport a boner for your weird-ass boss tactics.  You’ve got to share this shit!  And my mom is always on my ass about doing something productive with my life, so I’m thinking…  Maybe she’d pop for the server costs, and we put it on the web!  Stick some ads on it, and we might make money we could split!  A job that doesn’t suck!” he yells.

Miles scrunches his face.  ”The web?  You mean like..  A website?” he comments, asking curiously.

JJ rolls his eyes.  ”No, I plan on starting a small publishing company and deliver it to millions of people as a flyer!  OF COURSE A WEBSITE YOU DUMB SHIT.” he screams back.

Taken aback by the surprising amount of rage, Miles holds his hands up.  ”Sorry!  Just checking, and that’s all well and good, but…  But I’ve never made a website before.  Don’t you have to know a lot about coding and shit?” he stammers quickly.

A small smirk appears on his face, a new confident demeanor overwhelming him.  ”Yeah, but I know how to do it, and I’ll do all the heavy lifting if you sport the content for it.  I run a personal blog and have to code all the shit on that myself, so I picked up a few things.  We don’t have to be all fucking fancy at first, we’ll start simple and build on it.  What matters most is CONTENT.  And you’ve got a shitton of good stuff!  Come on dude, let’s do it!  Don’t be a chickenshit.” JJ said, in a fierce tone.

Miles sighs.  ”Listen, my notes are just a bunch of scribbles.  They’re organized, but not in a way to make sense to anyone that’s not me.” he says sheepishly.

Grinning, Kerry raises his hand.  ”Well, then let me do that part!  I’ll take parts of your book and  write it more detailed!  It’d be a good medium to practice technical writing for Monty!” he offers brightly, a confident expression over his face.

Ryan nods as well, leaning into the conversation.  ”I’m pretty good with Word and computer stuff.  I can format it all fancy like for the website.  There’s also this little girl that lives next door to us, who draws amazing stuff.  She might be all artsy for us.  Plus, you KNOW Ray would love to help you with new games and stuff.  It’d be fun!” the boy comments, giving a thumbs up to his friend.

Flustered, Miles turns away from the group, staring down at the ground and his feet.  

Without a moment’s notice, JJ grins, grabbing him by the chin.  ”See?  Let’s do it!  Why not!?  This’ll be sweet!  You can get the whole family in on the deal if you want!” he exclaims, using his free hand to slap him gently on the cheek.

Miles sits there for a few moments, contemplating everything.  He does, however, eventually nod his head.  ”Fiiiiine.  You do all the work first though!” the boy finally admits, getting a rousing round of applause from his friends.  Blushing, he turns to the side, looking away from everyone.  And as he does…  He spots a familiar face.

It’s her…

Sitting on the edge of a nearby fountain, was a girl with long black hair.  She was slim, with an average frame, and in a sky blue sweater, wearing a pair of dark sunglasses.

Following his eyes, the rest of them turn to see the commotion.  A round of oohs and aahhs release from their bodies, snapping Miles back to reality.  Kerry squints his eyes, staring off into the distance.  ”OH!  That’s Arryn!  We should invite her to lunch with us!” he comments innocently.

Ryan grinned, a sly expression overtaking his face.  ”Ooooorrrrr…  Miles could grow a pair and go ask her out to the Winter formal like he’s been dying to do since she came back…” he says darkly, winking at JJ.

Shooting back to him, Miles gives a panicked look, baring his teeth.  ”DUDE!  That was private, you asshole!” the boy screamed.

Crossing his arms, Ryan’s mischievous expression changes into one of seriousness.  ”Do you and I REALLY want to talk about privacy?  Mr. Lets Tell JJ Anything and Everything?” he retorts.   

Standing up to end the feuding roommates, JJ steps in between them, pulling Miles to feet.  ”Dude, ASK HER!  She’s RIGHT THERE!” he screams at Miles, now pushing him forward towards the fountain she was sitting at.  

MIles is squealing awkwardly, pushing back, but not making much headway.  ”No!  Stop it!  I don’t wanna bug her, I’m not good enough for her!  It’s just a crush, I’ll deal with it later and just go to the dance with Kerry like last year! He’s just as good!  Almost!” he replies quickly.  In the background, Kerry starts play-sobbing into Ryan’s shoulder.  

JJ rolls his eyes.  ”Dude, calm your dick.  She’s just a girl, she doesn’t bite, and you’re not THAT ugly.  Besides, Arryn is a great gal.  I’ve known her since we were in diapers.  She’d probably like a guy like you, actually.” he states, still pushing him forward.

He stops resisting as JJ makes one final push, and Miles hops several steps to catch himself.  Raising his face up, he’s only a few steps away from her as JJ jets backwards to the group of guys.  Miles chuckles, standing in front of her and clearing his throat.  ”Uh…  Hi Arryn. ” he mutters quietly, fiddling with his hands behind his back.  

She doesn’t adjust her head, still scanning the book in her hands, whizzing her fingertips across it slowly.  ”Hi Miles!  Did your parents drag you out here too?  You poor soul…” she says humorously, smiling to herself.  

Reluctantly, he sits next to her, but from a respectable distance.  Miles gulps loudly, rubbing the back of his head.  ”Uh..  Kind of.  Me, Ryan, Kerry and JJ are hanging out while our folks do battle in the stores.  We were gonna try and find some games on sale, but lost our nerve when we saw the crowds.  Actually, we’re gonna go snag lunch soon…  Uh..  wanna join us?  I’m sure you’d love to hear JJ talk about my spectacular failure at Quiz Bowl!  You’ve only been back for what.. . A week now?  You’d probably only heard it seventeen times, right?” he says quickly, laughing at his own joke.    

The young woman smiles, shaking her head.  ”Oh yes, I heard about that one plenty enough.  Though one more wouldn’t hurt, and I’m starving!  I’d love to join you guys!” she remarks, closing her book and marking the page.

As she gathers her things, Miles clears his throat, blushing.  ”I…  I…  Uh…  wanted to ask you something first, before we were around the other guys…  Otherwise they’ll ask for me, cuz they’re assholes…  So..  Uh..  You uh…   Wanna go to the winter formal with me?  I know it’s early to ask, but…   Well, you’re…  Uh…” he mutters sheepishly.  His voice was weak, but the young woman picked up on all of it.   

Arryn scrunches her face, tilting it to the side.  ”Me?  Why me?” she asks dishearteningly, still not turning to face Miles.  

The teen bites his lips, sighing loudly.  ”Well…  You’re smart, the smartest girl in the whole school.  You have a great attitude, and I had fun hanging around with you during Quiz Bowl stuff before you had the family thing, and…  You’re spunky!  I like spunky.” he admits sheepishly.

She smiles.  ”Just that?  Really?” Arryn asks surprisingly.

He nods.  ”All that, and…  Well, you’re pretty too.” the boy remarks staring at her still unturned face, grinning.

Her face drops down, and her hands grasp each other tightly.  ”Oh…” she mutters defeatedly.

Miles groans, slapping his face loudly.  ”That was…  Insensitive… Sorry.  I shouldn’t have said that.  I’m such a douche…” he says angrily, grabbing his face tightly.

Arryn smiles.  ”No, don’t worry about it.  That wasn’t what the “oh”ing was about, honestly…  I’d just never heard someone say th…  Anyway…  About the formal?  You sure?  Really sure?  I mean…  I’m not exactly the best dance partner!  Did you SEE me at the Homecoming Dance?  I made a complete dork of myself!” she chuckles, adjusting her glasses slightly.

Miles nods, laughing alongside her.  ”Yeah girl, that was pretty bad!  But  hell, I can’t dance either!  So….  If you’re willing to look silly with me, then I guess I’ll be willing to look silly with you!  Fair’s fair, right?” he exclaims, the early tension evaporating slowly from his face.

She smiles.  ”Then let’s do it.” Arryn comments, offering her hand out to the boy.  He takes it shaking it firmly.  

Miles helps her stand up, smiling happily, but with a little bit of blush forming under his eyes.  ”No taksies-backsies now!” he comments, now waiting on the girl to gather her things.

As Arryn stood up, a large golden labrador retriever raised up alongside her that had been hiding beneath the bench.  She grabs the dark blue harness holding the dog, and flips out a long white cane to her side.  ”Now, I believe there was promise of lunch before the mushy stuff?” she says eagerly, walking beside him.

He offers her his hand, and she takes it, allowing him to guide her slightly towards the rest of the group.  The boy nodded to himself, a look of pure harmony covering his face.  ”Absolutely!” Miles replies, making their way towards the rest of the group.

 _How’d….  How’d my life go from so shitty to so perfect so quickly!?_   

__________

Banging on the front door of Carter’s small apartment woke him from an otherwise peaceful afternoon of sleeping.  Throwing on a small robe, the man groans sleepily.  ”Coming!  I’m coming!” he exclaims, finally reaching his door.  Unlocking the several deadbolts as well as chain link left it open.  Swinging it backwards, a familiar teenage boy is beaming brightly in front of him.

Caleb pushes his way past the man, bobbing happily through the house.  ”It wasn’t a mistake!  The accident!  Mom’s accident!  You didn’t overwhelm mom with too many kids, it was just an accident!  She was trying to miss a squirrell and hit the pole while she dodged it!  All the witnesses thought she did it on purpose probably because it was so small!  It explains EVERYTHING!  Mom didn’t snap!  Mom didn’t snap!” he yelled happily.

Carter’s face remains motionless, still following Caleb as the young man made his way into the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge.  ”W…What?  What on earth are you talking about Caleb?  How do you know all this?” he asks incredulously, folding his arms.

The young man grabbed a soda, clicking it open casually.  He takes a big drink, calming himself down and breathing for a few moments deeply.  ”I went to talk to mom like I always do on weekends.  Instead of just letting her talk, I talked about myself and my plans for after high school.  She sort of…  Spat it out.  The nurses are watching her to see if she comes out of it again, but…  Carter!  What it means is that it wasn’t your fault!  We have to call the press!  RIGHT NOW!  We’ll set the story straight and then you can get your old job back!  Go to CPS, and be the kick-ass foster agent you always were!  Make everything right again!  Prove EVERYONE how wrong they were about you, and even more so how wrong they were about my mom!” he says eagerly.

Carter’s face remains motionless, and the man sighs slowly to himself.  ”Caleb….” he mutters sadly.  He makes his way towards the young man, pulling him slowly towards the living room.  The two take a seat next to one another, and Carter pats him on the back.  ”Kiddo…  This doesn’t change anything, but I appreciate you coming to me with this.” he says softly.

The boy’s face scrunches, turning quickly to face him.  ”Huh?  Whattya mean this doesn’t change anything?!” Caleb yells angrily.  His hands clench the can tightly, denting it hard.

Tying his robe more tightly, Carter manages a small smile for himself.  ”How would we prove this to the press?  There was never any video evidence, and I doubt the witnesses would recant their stories.  They never reported a squirrel before.  In fact…  If we called the reporters now, it might just rekindle the chaos it was before.” he comments painfully, shaking his head.  ”Besides, do you really want reporters over you and your father again without anything to back this up?  Especially since you’re working with children and will be looking at a career in that path sometime soon?  Being old news has its advantages, and you were lucky that the internet news was incredibly underdeveloped  when you were a child.  But nowadays?  Another incident that’s easily googleable might ruin your job opportunities.” he explains, relaxing into his couch.

Caleb’ s body doesn’t move, and his heartbeat soon overtakes him.  ”I…” he stammers out, unable to form a thought.

Carter sighs.  ”We’ll talk to your father about this.  If this is what you two really want, then I’ll support you to the best of my abilities.  I’m sure he’ll agree with me though.  Your father hated the reporters as much as anything else in the accident.  But, really, if this is for me?  Then don’t bother.  I’d be lying if I said I’ve moved on, but…  I’m content with the way my life is now.” he said, the words calm and collected as they left his throat.

There are several moments of long silence between them, which Caleb breaks as he places his dented can on the brand new coffee table.  With his now unoccupied hands, he rubs his face harshly.  ”I’m so sorry, I got so excited for you, and for me, and for mom that I…  I didn’t think things through.  I’m stupid…” he exclaims loathingly, pressing his fingers deeply into his temple.

The man shakes his head.  ”You’re not stupid.  If anything, this shows how much you care!  But really, please don’t worry so much over me.  That part of my life is over, and I’m not going to be able to go back to it.  I loved every minute of it, and I’m glad I met so many wonderful young people like you through it.  But it’s over.  That was my dream then, but teaching children is my dream now.” Carter explains, re-opening his eyes and smiling at the boy.

Caleb turns to him.  ”But it was your DREAM!?  How can you give up on it so easily!?  Can’t we just TRY!?” he yells, standing up and pacing through the home worriedly.

Carter chuckles, standing to join the boy, shoving his hands into the pockets of his robe.  ”Did you know that I’m going to be moving up to first grade next year?” he comments innocently, changing the subject.

The boy stops mid-pace, swinging around to look at him.  He says nothing, just staring at Carter with a tilted head and befuddled expression.

Walking towards his wall, he pulls a small class picture from it, looking at it fondly.  ”The HomeHunters.  I’m sure you knew this already, but I teach all of them except for the older one.  That’s because no teacher would take them all together, since they’re marked as “special needs”.  A stupid word that makes no real distinction other than they’re unique and have possible extra work ahead of them emotionally and psychologically.  A stupid checked box on a form that means despite the fact that they are the most intelligent children I have in my room, they’ll be looked down upon the rest of their lives.  So long story short, this trend would have likely continued as they aged.  Mr. Ramsey wants them all together as long as they can be, which is a difficult thing to ask of any teacher.  So the principal and I had a long talk about it, actually.” Carter continues, spilling his speech in a formal tone.

Caleb moves towards the man, staring at the Kindergarten class photo.  It was typical, all the children politely smiling.  Though sitting in the very front row were a group of five children, all holding hands together, who looked no different than any other child in that group.  The HomeHunters.  The “special needs” kids that the teachers wanted nothing to do with.  

Continuing, Carter places the portrait back on the wall.  ”So…  I’m certified to teach up to fifth grade.  I’ll start working on my middle school degree requirements online, and I agreed to move up with them as they grow up so they can all stay together and not be separated between teachers that don’t know them or their pasts.  The principals in both elementary and middle schools agree, grateful to have someone take on the “pests” as they call them.” he mutters happily.

The young man gets a small grin on his face.  ”So…  You’re going to teach the HomeHunters every year?” he asks in a happy tone.

Carter nods.  ”That’s right!  I’ll be their teacher, their friend, and their ally up until they’re in high school.  Someone they’re comfortable with and know they can come to without any hesitation.  A relief that they and their parents will know every year, because they know I’m more than qualified to handle children like them and understand their situation.” he says eagerly.

Caleb folds his arms, half-cocking a smile.  ”So wait…  You’re…  You’re not wanting to go back to CPS anyway?  Do you?!” he asks snarkily.

The man grins, patting the boy on the shoulder as he makes his way back into the kitchen.  ”There’s no need to go back anymore, I’m happy exactly where I am.  Because…  I’m still going to be helping people that need me the most, and be around the friends that made my life worth living.  But then once my kids are all grown up and don’t need me anymore?  Well, I’ll start all over again from the beginning.  Or maybe by then, Geoffrey will need someone else in HomeHunters.  A parent, a tutor, an educator, something.  who knows…  Maybe I’m just waiting for something better to come along!  Life’s never what we expect it to be, we’re just along for the ride.” he explains, reaching the kitchen and grabbing a menu from a drawer.  ”But call your father!  I’ll get take-out, and we’ll celebrate!  No reason why the three of us can’t be happy for the good news, am I right?” he says loudly, yelling from the kitchen.  

The young man flips out his phone, nodding.  ”Order a lot!  I’m inviting my best friend too, and he’s a pig!” Caleb yells, dialing a number and walking into another room for silence.

As he leaves, Carter places his hand gently on his heart, a wave of relief washing through him.  “It wasn’t my fault…” he says to himself, a flutter overtaking his chest.

__________

_Dear Geoff,_

_It’s Griffon.  I want to keep this short, because I honestly don’t know what to say._

_I want to see you again.  I’ve heard from Burnie about your charity group, and it sounds awefully familiar to something we used to talk about.  Your dream?_

_Then I hear about your children, and how much of a wonderful father you are to them.  How much you love Ryan, and even adopted him.  Then Michael, who Burnie says is the living embodiment of yourself.  Little Gavin, your songbird and Monty fanboy extraordinaire.  And Ray, your other adopted child, who I hear you fought for tooth and nail._

_But then I hear that you also took in a stray named Miles?  And are keeping a boy named Kerry (Elena’s boy?!) in the afternoons?_

_All of this, while running a charity, maintaining close friendships and still having time to play with your kids on a regular basis?_

_…_

_Words cannot say how proud I am of you.  You found your own life.  You’re happy, and doing something remarkable in this world._

_And I suppose this is where the point of my letter comes in._

_Geoff…  I want to see you again.  I never stopped loving you, all these years.  I love you even more now, seeing the responsible person you’ve grown into._

_But I don’t want to come back if this would be an interference to you and your children.  So be honest with me, and I hope for the sake of your children that you would tell me the truth._

_If I come back?  If we meet again?_

_Will you still be the amazing man you are now, and the two of us talking like rational adults?  Or will you go back to the way you were that night with the homeless man?_

_Let me know.  Send your response to the PO Box at the return address.  We’ll go from there._

_I look forward to your reply._

_Love,_

_Griffon Anderson_

[ ](http://letsplaytheend.tumblr.com/post/59253848702/for-the-life-unlived-chapter-17-michael-lindsays)

Burnie looked up from the letter, turning to Griffon beside him.  Sitting together in his posh living room, he’d read the entire letter aloud.  ”You’re actually going to contact him?  This isn’t some bullshit joke, right?” the man asks seriously.  Leaning back into the soft leather, he hands the letter back to Griffon.

Nodding her head, she sighs.  ”Talked to Monty over Thanksgiving.  Gave me a good perspective on everything.  If Geoff gets a fairy-tale ending, doesn’t that mean I get to try and have one too?  And at the end of the day, I realized…  I was doing just what he did, sacrificing my own happiness for the life of someone else.” she said, folding the letter gently into a small envelope.

The man slapped himself on the face, groaning.  ”WHAT THE FUCK!?  I’ve been saying that for years now!  Why are you just NOW understanding this?” Burnie yells.

Griffon turned to him, staring him down intensely.  ”You always yelled it at me!  Nobody sounds convincing when they yell!” she replies quickly, punching him in the shoulder.

Laughing at her reply, Burnie drops the subject, turning back on the television set across from them.  They sit in silence, watching the latest horrendous sitcom gracing the local airwaves.  In the silence, Griffon licks the envelope shut, adding a stamp to accompany the pre-written addresses.  Sealing the letter for good, she stares at it intently.  ”But maybe I should…  Wait?  At least until the kids are -” she mutters, getting cut off immediately.  Without another word, Burnie snags it from her, running towards the front door.  Unable to respond in time, she misses as he slams the door open, sprinting out of it at a mach pacing.  

A few minutes later he returns with her in the same position, face red, and out of breath.  ”Hell….  NO!” he huffs, shutting the door behind him.  Burnie walks towards her, pointing in her direction.  ”Do you have…  ANY…  Idea how long I’ve been waiting for this reunion to happen you sorry fucker?!  It’s in my mailbox, going out TODAY!  END OF STORY!  And if you get in my mailbox, it’s a federal fucking offense, AND I WILL SUE YOUR ASS.” he screams, plopping back into the leather sofa.

Wordlessly, the two of them return to the television program.  Minutes pass as her legs slowly begin twitching, wanting to stand and run outside.  Eventually though, she relaxes, falling back into the couch as her friend had.  Still heaving in and out, Burnie blushes as Griffon leans into him, pulling him into a hug.  ”Thanks Burnie.” she says quietly.

Returning the hug, he grips her shoulder tightly.  ”No problem Griffy.  Everything will work out for the best, one way or another.  I just know it.  Something about that house…  Makes me think they’re going to change the goddamn world.  And…  You need to be a part of that.  Because it’s thanks to you…  That it happened in the first place..” he says, using his other hand to grip into a firm fist.

__________

In the central room of the Narvaez estate lied a large conference table.  At the head of it was a larger chair than the rest of the table, which was reserved for the head of the family.  So it was with slanted gaze that Carlos entered the room, folding his arms.  ”Emi…  What are you doing there?” he asks smugly, a dark expression covering his face.

Sitting in the tallest chair was Emilio, with his brother standing behind him.  Luis had hands tucked behind his back, staring at his father intently.  The table was already filled with the usual Narvaez head guards and lead family members.

Carlos takes a step backwards, but is pushed forward by the guardsmen behind him.  He turns around, staring at the two incredulously that had shoved him.  After the push, he immediately pats to the side of his waist.  What had once been a heavy holster with a heirloom firearm was now an empty container.  The man’s face pales, swinging back around towards his sons.  ”What is this?!” he yells panickedly.  

The older of the brothers stands from the table, scooting the chair back harshly against the floor.  ”I’m taking over now, all of it.  I’ve bought the guards and promised them something that you could never offer them.  Simple as that.  You are going to be taken to a cell underground, and kept there until the day you die.  Luis and I discussed this at length, and…  As much of a bastard as you were to us and everyone here?  We don’t want to kill you.  We’re not you, and we’ll never be you.  It’s far more cruel to make you sit and watch as everything you worked for…  Slips through your hands.” Emilio explains, his voice dry and bland.    

“Take him away…” Luis mutters, signaling the guard around him to begin moving.

Carlos begins shaking , feeling as four men grab him by the arms, surrounding him from behind.  HIS men, HIS guards, pulling him towards the side of the house.  He pulls, pushes and kicks, requiring an additional three or four men come to his side, aiding the others in his detainment.  Frustrated he spits on them, staring painfully at his sons.  ”WHAT IS THIS?!  I OWN YOU!  I OWN ALL OF YOU!  YOU’LL REGRET THIS YOU PATHETIC FOOLS!  JUST YOU WAIT!  I’LL GET OUT OF HERE! I’LL KILL YOU!  I’LL KILL ALL OF YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARDS!” he screams, struggling with all his might.  His screams, profanity and struggles begin dying off as the men pull him into the hallway.  With a loud, metallic clanging, the sounds come to an abrupt halt.  

Nervous murmurings overtake the table, silenced as Emilio snaps his fingers crisply.  He looks them over with a stern, yet polite expression.   ”I’m now leader, as per our arrangement.  All of you leaving, I want you gone by the night’s end.  Your severance package can be found in the main hall.  Those staying will get their pay doubled effective tomorrow.  But for now, I need to speak with my brother in private.  We will reconvene tomorrow, and discuss the future of the family then, and our new structuring.  Dismissed.” he says authoritatively, waving his hand firmly.

Wordlessly, the entirety of the room, with the exception of him, his brother, and their few personal attendants, leave.  Silence envelopes the room, and Emilio turns to his brother.  ”Told ya.” he said playfully, but with a firm expression.

Luis turns to him, his face still pale with shock at the scene that had come before him.  ”E…Emi…  You weren’t kidding…” he stutters.  

Sighing heavily, he slinks back into his chair.  ”Sorry for the last minute scare.  If you weren’t gone all the time doing god knows what, you might know a few things around here…  But I was serious.  It’s over.  I’m the head now, and what I says goes.  I assume that would be ok with you?” Emilio asked, a small grin forming on his face.

Color returns to Luis’s face, and a small smile begins to cover it.  ”Emi…  Can I…”

Emilio nods, not letting his brother finish his sentence.  ”Go get Maddie out of that damn cell, NOW.  The three of us have a lot to talk about.  How we fix everything father screwed up, and of course….” he stops, pulling a small pocket watch from his pants.  Opening it up, a photograph of a smiling infant child was clearly visible on the outward facing cover.  ”We need to talk about where you two have been hiding my son.  And…  What we need to do about him…” the man says in a hopeful tone.  His posture was relaxed, and for the first time in Emilio’s entire life…  He closed his eyes, and slowly had a smile form on his worn and tired face.  

Luis rushes off, sprinting towards the same direction Carlos had been led towards.  He pushes past a few guards that were attempting to congratulate him at the door, paying them no mind.

"Excuse me, sir?" says a soft, golden voice.  The voice had just a hinge of an english accent, but a strange southern tone to it.  Shooting his eyes open, Emilio is faced with a young man in a well tailored suit.  His youthful demeanor, dark brown hair, and strong tanned features were unfamiliar to him, creating a puzzled expression upon Emilio’s face.  A single red rose was poking out of his pocket, and a small folder in his hands.  Handing the folder over to the him, the strange man smiled gently.  "I believe this is what your father requested from my department?  Not that it really matters now, but I thought you might enjoy the results.  The investigation outside of Luis for little Ray?  I’m happy to say we found him." he mutters pleasantly.

Emilio opened the folder, a group of pictures spilling out before him, each clearly labeled.  They were of two older males and several small children.  Stapled to the folder were additional photos of a small house, a small dog, an older male in glasses in a brightly colored zebra print, a young man in solid yellow glasses, and a blonde woman in a bright red suit.

_Ramsey, Geoff_

_Pattillo, Jack_

_Free, Gavin_

_Jones, Michael_

_Ramsey, Ryan_

_Ramsey, Ray_

_Dunkelman, Barbara_

_Denecour, Caleb_

_Cweirz, Jordan_

_Reed, Carter_

_Collins, Cameron_

The last photo made Emilio grab it up, staring at it with quickly watering eyes.  A miniature version of himself, in bright purple glasses.  He inhales deeply, seeing what could only be his son, with a gleeful expression with a bright smile, swinging on a swing set next to a boy with light blonde hair.  Behind him, pushing, was an older male with a long sleeve of tattoos.  The man was Geoff Ramsey, if the earlier photo caption was accurate.  He turns up to face the male who had handed it to him, who was thumbing the rose in his hands, smiling gently.  ”Where is this?  Where is HE?!” Emilio stammered out vehemently.

The stranger with the dark brown hair looked at him directly.  ”Austin, Texas.  It’s a charity called HomeHunters for foster children.  In reality, it’s a small home of five children and two adults.  They live next door to a home of three children and two adults in a similar program.  Many friends of them seem to come and go from the location frequently.  It’s quite a lovely family, from what I’ve seen personally.” the man says, in an affectionate tone.  

Emilio touches the photo gently, kissing it once and returning it to viewing distance.

"EMI!" shrieks Madeline, who burst through the door, clutching her rosary tightly.  As he jumps, she begins running towards him, a mixture of anger and relief running down her face.  The stranger stepped out of the way, and the woman hugs him tightly, sobbing into his chest.  Pummeling him endlessly, he groans which each strike, a little harder than he’d anticipated from her.  "You son of a bitch!  You waited THIS long to do the right thing!?  I want a divorce,  NOW!" she screams, still striking him as hard as she could.

Luis walks in behind her, at a much more leisurely pace, a smug grin on his face.  To his side was a small girl, with long, flowing black hair, a bright yellow sundress and a dark tan.  Walking hand in hand, the two of them made their way into the conference room.  The little girl looked up at Luis, smiling brightly.  ”Daddy?  Is that my Auntie Maddie?” she asked curiously. 

The man nods, affirming her.  ”Yes Mia, that’s Maddie.  I wanted you to see her right away!” Luis says, leading them towards him.

Madeline leans up  from him, staring at the folder to his side, yanking the picture out of his hand.  ”RAY!” she screams, hugging the picture tightly, moving away from Emilio.  She rushes to Luis, handing him the photograph, the two speaking fervently with each other as Mia hugged the woman’s leg tightly.  

Turning back to the stranger, Emilio stares him down.  ”Sorry, what’s your name?  I’m not familiar with all the guard…  I’d like to know the name of the man that gave me my child back..” he states, picking up the photos from the scattered remains that had been flung from his hands earlier

Replacing the rose into his pocket, the man chuckles.  ”Edgar.  But that’s all I’ll say, since I’m leaving tonight.  Taking your kind offer to leave the family, no offense.  You won’t see me after today.” he mutters politely.

Emilio laughs, nodding.  ”I understand, believe me…  But thank you, Edgar.” the man grinned, shaking his hand.

Before he left, however, Edgar moved towards him pointing at a photograph in particular.  The one with the strange man with the long arm length tattoos.  ”Before you and your family…  Decide what to do with your child…  If I may suggest something, after watching these people for so long?  Speak with this man.  It’s not my place to tell you your business, but…  Your son…  Might be far happier where he is, rather than being caught up in this mess of a family, even without your insane father….” he says, walking away swiftly from the man without another word.  

Standing to speak more directly to Edgar, he stops as Madeline and Luis walk to up him, cutting his path off.  He is handed their son’s photo once more, Madeline looking at him sadly.  ”We need to talk.  About a lot of things.  That you…  May or may not know..” she quietly remarks.  His brother looks away from him, still holding his daughter’s hand, looking far more distraught than the atmosphere called for.

Emilio’s face drops, but is abated as a small hand pulls at his shirt.  Looking down, Luis’s daughter was holding something in her hands, showing it to him.  “Look Uncle Emi!  A feather!” she says happily, showing a long, golden-brown feather in her hands.


	22. Ray, Ryan and Courtney’s Blaze of Hope & The Fades Unmasked

The Thanksgiving holidays came and went, leaving the HomeHunters in the typical swing of things once again.

Children had only reluctantly returned to school, after [an interesting display of shock and horror upon their faces the evening prior](http://31.media.tumblr.com/e2ffacc8b31e3731422df2000b315063/tumblr_msgs23MTHk1r0tvoso3_500.gif).

Jack was off with Caiti at her new location, busy working on curriculum for their up and coming interns.

Joel would be performing house duties, whilst Kara took care of shopping and errands in downtown.

It was in this state of rare solitude that Geoff found himself sitting alone in their house, sipping a large cup of coffee. In his best pair of easy-fit jeans, and a far too over-sized T-shirt filled with holes, he decided to spend the day taking a well-earned vacation day.  A day away from his usual schedule of budgeting, bookkeeping and paperwork. He kicked his feet up on the coffee table, sinking into the soft couch, sighing peacefully in bliss. Silence surrounded the usually hectic home, allowing Geoff to close his eyes and gently waver in and out of consciousness  However, instead of fleeting fantasies or interesting dreams, the man thought only of his children.

Geoff’s eyes shut tighter than normal, heaving a large sigh.  _“Michael… Needs new glasses and a haircut, BADLY. Gavin’s gonna need some storage under his bed for his birthday shit coming in soon… Ryan could use… Some new clothes, my hand-me-downs aren’t good enough for him, he looks like a hobo… Miles needs his own dresser, gotta talk to his mom about that… And Ray… Ray needs more attention.”_  Geoff thinks to himself, dimly opening his eyes at the last remark.

Grunting painfully, Geoff reaches for a large folder on the coffee table before him, pulling it into his lap, and unfurling it.

_Ramsey, Ray_   
_Age: ?_   
_DOB: ?_   
_Developmental Case Notes: 11/28/13 (G.R.)_   
_-Child continues to display typical developmental advances for one between the ages of five and six._   
_-Higher than usual coordination skills, Ray is capable of complex puzzle-solving and has a high response time. Excellent grasp of common sense._   
_-Laid back… As long as he has external stimuli to distract him, the boy doesn’t seem to be bothered by much._   
_-Academically average. Grasps concepts slower than most, but fully capable of class material. Mr. Reed explains he has a hard time focusing on subjects that do not interest him._   
_-Continues to establish a strong relationship with older kids, Miles, Kerry and Ryan. (Possible fatherly substitute?) Has difficulty playing with similarly aged siblings when games revolve around physical activity._   
_-Despite a growing connection, Ray still finds difficulty in expressing himself. Seems to hide his emotions when they aren’t positive._   
_-Incident during Thanksgiving brought to my attention from Miles: Ray left the table, went to his room and cried. Specific subject that made him cry is unknown. Did not mention this fact to anyone, disregarded his absence as a “game break”. When asked if he was alright, Ray responded with “Yes”, smiling and lacking any real response otherwise._

Working on updating the boys’ H.H. case files for most of the previous weeks had left him feeling more and more positive.  Though the smiles ended, staring at Ray’s file in frustation. “Kiddo… You still don’t feel like this is your home, do you? After all this time… Michael, Gavin, and even Ryan all finally feel comfortable enough to come to us on anything… What’s… What’s stopping you? What’s holding you back?” he asks to himself.

Rubbing his forehead, Geoff’s attention is thrown backwards as the doorbell rings to his front door. He throws the file back onto the table, making his way to the front door. Opening it, a postman is there, hand-delivering their mail. He was different than their usual mailman, likely a substitute. In his sunglasses and bright blue uniform, the man tips his hat pleasantly. “Morning Mr. Ramsey! Got some mail here, and hoped I could use your can? Sorry, but it’s an emergency!” he exclaims, handing several pieces of mail to Geoff.

Geoff nods, pointing towards the back of the house. “Hallway on your right, knock yourself out!” he says, flipping through the mail as the man walks behind him. One letter in particular catches his attention. Pulling it from the stack, he notices the return address from all the way out in California. Glancing at the mailing address, a gentle, beautiful script had his name planted on the front.

 _"Maybe Monty? Burnie’d just call or e-mail… Who else do I know in.."_  he thinks to himself, all thoughts ceasing as the postman puts him into a firm headlock.  The assault nearly chokes the very life out of him, almost passing out on the spot. Mail scatters to the floor, many sliding underneath the nearby table, obscured from view.

Fight or flight takes over, Geoff’s legs swinging far behind him, cracking into the man’s crotch, dropping him to the floor immediately. He tackles the postman, pinning him to the floor, and pulling a cell phone from his pocket. “What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Geoff screams, beginning to dial 911, but getting clubbed in the back of the head mid-dial. He sees stars, but rolls towards the floor, attempting to steady himself.

Staring upwards, there are three or four men in black suits, many pointing guns at him. One dark browned man, with a solid red rose in his front pocket steps forward. “Mr. Ramsey… You’re going to come with us quietly. Do exactly as we say, and you and your children won’t be harmed. You have my word.” he utters coldly.

A vice-like grip overtakes his chest, Geoff un-moving from the floor. Without any other options, the well-dressed goons overtake him, pulling him from the floor and swiftly out of his home.

Leaving behind only the goon who had spoken to Geoff in the home, Edgar casually strolls through the home, sitting patiently at the man’s side. Barking only once, the dog tilts his head, whining at the scene played out before him.

Crouching down, the remaining male pets the dogs head carefully. “Relax Edgar… Everything will be fine, I promise. Just stick with the plan, ok? Pick up the mail, and make sure nobody panics too much this afternoon. I’ll have him home by dinner.  Hopefully.” he comments calmly.

Edgar seemingly nods his head, trotting off to pick up the remains of the mail still scattered everywhere in his mouth.   
___________________  
Occupying the computer lab during the second half of their lunch hour, Ryan is alongside his ever expanding circle of friends. JJ, taking a seat at his assigned computer, Arryn sitting next to a blushing Miles beside him, and Kerry standing above them all, staring overhead from a distance.

"Dude, is this not the SWEETEST site ever?" JJ exclaims, posing his hands towards the monitor in a seductive manner.

The screen was filled with a blank, modified template, in a very modernly styled black and green design. “Untitled Blog” was thrown across the top, with several links lining down the left side of the site."Walkthroughs", "Tips and Tricks", "Videos", "About", "Contact" and "Forums" were visible in a neon green font. 

Clicking through the site, JJ takes them to a fully edited walk-through in an organized, paragraph form courtesy of Kerry. Going through another link, a long list of games is displayed, linking to tips copied straight from Miles’s book. The “Videos” page was blank, with “coming soon” plastered over it. The forum was essentially empty, save for a few administrative posts.

There is a audible silence as they all take in the sights. JJ stares at them expectantly, with a bright grin of his face. A grin which evaporates as all of them sigh loudly.

Miles tilted his head, groaning quietly. “What’s with all the green? What are we, leprechauns? Couldn’t we have something cooler like blood red?I guess i do like the black…” he suggests, shaking his head.

Kerry folds his arms. “The design is cool, and I personally like the green, but seriously? Comic Sans? What the hell!?! There is NO way you’re putting my hard work in comic sans! Verdana that shit immediately, or I walk!” he screams, shooting him a dirty look.

Clapping, Ryan smiles. “Bravo. You managed to take a shitty template and make it even shittier! But hey, fix the fonts and cut down on all the cutesy bullshit, and it might actually work out for a first site!” he chuckles.

JJ closes his eyes, falling to the ground and curling into a ball dramatically. “You’re just jealous! My baby is gorgeous!” he screams in a playfully sad tone.

Beside Arryn, her dog whines annoyingly at the sight, covering his eyes with his paws. The girl, however, just smiles. “Well JJ, I think it’s the most beautiful site I’ve ever seen before!  Bravo!” she remarks sweetly, clapping.

Hopping from his sitting position, JJ hops to her side. “Why thank you! At least someone sees my ge-” he begins, cutting himself off as a smug grin covers her face. He folds his arms, staring at her with a perturbed expression. “You little shit…” he comments, plopping back into his computer chair. Typing away in his software, he makes several adjustments as requested.

A small bit of nervous laughter covers the room near Arryn, Kerry rubbing his head specifically. “Uh… Was it ok to laugh at that?” he asks sheepishly.

Arryn sighs, shaking her head and slapping his back with her cane. “YES KERRY. CHILL OUT. Jesus Christ, I told you to treat me like you treat the rest of these assholes, ok? I’m more than just my damn disability you know!  Actually, I  ** _DO_**  care when you treat me like some dainty little flower that can’t help itself.  THAT pisses me off.” she says firmly, crossing her arms. Her dog growls at the boy, Kerry nodding reluctantly as it raises itself into a pounching position.

Sensing the tension, Ryan taps on JJ’s monitor. “So what are we gonna call this site? Untitled Site kind of sucks… Not very original, unless we’re going for irony.  Which would make no sense” he comments comically.

JJ shrugs. “Don’t care. It’s Miles’s shit, he should probably pick. Or we could vote. Just nothing dumb.” he replies, still busily adjusting the site. Comic Sans was replaced with a more bold, modern font.

Grinning, Miles stands up, slapping his hands together. “We’ll call ourselves the HomeHunters! After our family!” he suggests.

Kerry shakes his head. “I don’t think Geoff would appreciate copyright infringement. Or having his company’s name associated with some game website. That was a sweet thought though.” he replies, plopping next to JJ, pointing out a few other adjustments on-screen.

Arryn holds her hand up politely. “I’ve got it! Just shorten it to Hunters! Isn’t this mostly tips of getting Xbox Achievements anyway? I know you’ve got other stuff too, but it might make sense!” she offers, Miles nodding immediately.

Turning around in his chair, JJ groans. “Not long enough. We need longer than that for the domain name or something more catchy to get people talking about us. Besides, I’m sure hunters.com has already been taken by redneck assholes.” he retorts, quickly returning to his work.

The group thinks together for several minutes, offering many variations vocally.  But after a while of naysaying each other, Ryan finally stands up, the boy having been surprisingly quiet. They all turn to look at him, seeing a bright smile plastered on his face. “What about Achievement Hunters? It’s what are, it’s specific and easy to remember.” he suggests. 

After a few quick murmurings and general agreement, JJ shoots to a domain registry. He gives a thumbs up. “It’s free! We want it?” he asked.

Kerry and Miles both give thumbs up. And with that, JJ works his magic, switching back over to the website software once it was registered, courtesy of his mother’s credit card.

"Untitled Website" soon becomes "Achievement Hunter" in JJ’s computer, slanted across the top of the website in a grandiose font and neon green coloring.

Raising a bottle of water laying to his side, Miles grins. “Here’s to the birth of a website that will never be relevant and MAYBE get three hits.” he exclaims giddily.

The group smiles, rolling their eyes at the self-negative attitude.  
____________________

The Kindergarten classroom of Mr. Reed was covered in a holiday-themed nick-knacks. A small Christmas tree in the corner, a Menorah, and various fictional holiday characters plastered on the walls.

Sitting together at their newly arranged circular desks at the front of teh room, the HomeHunters were busily coloring blank pictures of Santa Claus.

Courtney, who was coloring neatly and elegantly in the lines, turned her head up politely. “So what are you guys gonna ask Santa Claus for?” she asked, still busily paying all her attention towards her paper.

Turning up to face her, with a messy blue Santa, was Dan. “Who’s Santa?” he asked curiously. His expression was genuine, face blank in bewilderment.

Gavin smiles, poking Dan on the shoulder to gain his attention. “Santa Claus is a man who goes to every little boy and girl’s houses on Christmas eve! If you’ve been a good boy or girl, he leaves you a present that you ask him for! He’s the old man right there!” he explains happily, pointing to the picture.

Dan’s face lights up. “REALLY?” he yells eagerly.

Beside Gavin, Michael was shaking his head, but doesn’t look up from his only somewhat messy coloring. His Santa was was a ruby red, and had a really big (yet crudly drawn) blue sword sticking out of his hand. “No, not really. Santa’s not real, just made up and fake. My old daddy said so, cuz that’s why I never got presents.” he says matter-of-factly.

A disappointed look covers Dan’s face, but Lindsay begins shaking her head widlly. “Nuh uh! Santa brought me presents every year!” she exclaims.

Courtney nods. “Me too!” she adds.

Ray nodded. “Yeah, Santa brought me presents too. All the way in my hotel too!” he explains.

Looking up from his work, Michael turns to Gavin with a serious expression, lips gaping in shock. His brother gives him a worried glance. “You never got any presents? But you’re a good boy, the bestest!” Gavin exclaimed sadly.

Before Michael could answer, and as the other children begin debating among themselves heatedly, Mr. Reed pops down beside them, crouching at their level. “How’s everything going here?” he asked brightly, smiling. Carter was in a bright red candy-cane top with white stripes. In festive green glasses and matching scarf, he was a walking holiday ad.

Dan raised his hand, being acknowledged quickly with a quick nod. “Mr. Reed, we’re talkin’ bout Santa Claus. How come Lindsay, Courtney, Ray and Gavin got presents, but me and Michael didn’t?” he asks politely.

Without waiting for a hand, Michael turns his head to the man, tugging on his scarf. “And my old daddy said Santa wasn’t real, but Gavin says he is. Who’s right?” he yelled.

Standing up, Carter moves his hand towards his chin, in a thinking pose. Hiding behind his scarf, the teacher inhales deeply, biting the bottom of his lip. After a moment or two of thought, he looks back towards the children, staring between them. “Hmm… Well, that’s a very good question. Michael, Dan? Did you or your parents ever write Santa Claus a letter?” he asked, a small grin forming on his cheek.

The boys shake their heads. Michael turns his head down, looking away from them. “My old daddy said it was dumb. Mommy tried to let me, but we didn’t get to mail it…” he mutters quietly.

Putting his head down, Dan stares at his picture longingly. “I didn’t know bout’ Santa till today.” he explains sadly.

Carter quickly slaps his knee, getting all their undivided attention quickly from the loud noise. “Then that’s why! You see, if you don’t write Santa, he doesn’t know where you live because he hasn’t heard of you yet!!So I bet if you talk to your dads and mom about this tonight, they’ll make sure and get you ALL set up!” he exclaims eagerly.

As the children murmur among themselves from the knowledge, he pats Michael and Dan on the backs, walking towards the other desks.

Gavin gets a big smile, turning back and forth between his two friends. “See! Your both gonna get presents this year! You just gotta write a letter! Dad’ll do it for you!” he says firmly.

Michael grins excitedly, an equally happy Dan now sharing rapid conversations of what they could possibly ask Santa for between them all.

-

Chris yawned loudly, sitting next to Brandon off on their own. The two had separated themselves from their typical table group, only mildly interested in coloring, half-done.

Catching onto the boy’s sleepy eyes and constant yawning, Brandon frowns. “You sleepy?” he asked knowingly.

He nods. “Mommy was up all night with the wedding lady. Yelling a lot.” Chris mutters quietly. He lays his head on the desk sleepily.

Brandon rolls his eyes. “My daddy won’t shut up about it neither’! They keep banging in our new rooms, getting em’ all fixed and built. Daddy yells at them cuz they don’t do it right!  And they work ALL night, and I get sleepy too!” he shoots back, laying his head down on the desk beside Chris.

There is a small silence between the two, each resting momentarily, ceasing their coloring.

"Sleepy?" Carter inquires behind them, causing them to both shoot up, panicked. His face isn’t angry though, the man simply dropping down beside them in a sitting position.  Mr. Reed flashes a white smile. "Well, I don’t’ blame you! I heard from Stella that you’re going to be brothers soon! I bet you two were up celebrating all weekend! Congratulations, it must be fun knowing you’ll be living together and have each other!  There’s no better brother than a best friend!" he declared, smiling happily with them.

A spark of life appears in both children’s faces, rejuvenating their gloomy demeanor.

Chris grins widely. “Yeah! It’s gonna be cool! Brandon and I are gonna share a room, and Nanny Stella will live with us! It’s a big ol’ house and we get whatever games and stuff we want!” he says, hopping in his seat excitedly.

In a similar excitement, Brandon turns to Mr. Reed. “We’re gonna get a Wii and play Mario ALL day long!” he retorts, the two nodding excitedly.

Mr. Reed stands up, patting them both on the backs. “Well I’m thrilled for both of you. Just remember to come to class well rested in the future and don’t stay up TOO late!  Mario’s not as important as school, you know!” he says firmly, walking away as they return to their pictures. 

The two continue chattering excitedly, any sense of their earlier gloom receding.   
____________________

Caiti’s downstairs office at CPS was barely large enough for more than two or three individuals. Lining her many bookshelves atop the walls were hundreds of books, with many papers and notes sticking out of them. Her desk was a simple affair, made of cheap wood from the nearby Wal-Mart. A fresh vase of flowers, alongside other pleasant photographs of her and the HomeHunters lined the front of her desk, alongside a slim desktop and dual monitors.

In the cramped space, sitting across from each other, Jack and Caiti were sharing lunch from a nearby take-out taco place.

Chuckling to himself, Jack wipes away a bit of sauce lining his lips. “And then… After reading that godforsaken book again for the hundreth time, I finally managed to get Gavin interested in Harry Potter. I mean, I’m so glad that RWBY is such a big hit, and that he gets so excited about it… But really, I can only watch Ruby Rose slice those wolf things so many times before I wish he’d find something new to obsess over!” he exclaims, half jokingly..

Caiti smiles, giggling into a napkin. “That is too funny!  But you know… You talking about RWBY and those stories reminds me of an old tale my mom used to tell me as a kid.  Something passed down my family for generations. An old story about spirits and roses being such a precious gift. Maybe Gavin would like it!  He seems to like fairy tales!” she says softly, looking into the man’s gorgeous eyes peacefully.

Jack nods. “Sure! He loves stories. Lay it on me!” he bellows, stuffing another burrito in his mouth, but looking at her beautiful face longingly.

She closes her eyes, breathing peacefully. “A long, long, time ago, there were special humans who sometimes passed away far before they should have. Unlike many who died too early, each of these special people possessed a strong heart that left them tied to the world.  A regret, a mission, a desire to right a wrong…  Basically, their hearts ached to fulfill their true fates in the world, and it gave them a new, spirital form upon their deaths. Unable to move past the world and people they were bonded to, they stayed behind on earth, becoming… Fades. A being almost like an an angel, with beautifully intricate wings hidden beneath their clothing.  But besides that one feature, they looked just like their old selves, aged at a point in their lives that was important to them in some way.” Caiti explains, opening her eyes back up.

Saying nothing, Jack merely nodded for her to continue, still intently chewing away at his food.

She smiles. “At first, though, the “Fades”, were far from the angelic creatures they looked like. They were beings of suffering and brought pain to the world around them. Their bonds to the world usually laid in regret over the lives that they were never able to live. So usually, the Fades spent their days haunting the the living, making them feel as bad as they did. They were hated spirits, and many priests tried to fruitlessly exorcise them, in hopes of calming their vengeful spirits that plagued mankind. Nothing worked, and eventually the world began to live in shadows, in fear of the dark nightmares that could come from the Fades.” Caiti explains darkly.

Turning her head upwards, her expression gently improved. “But one day… A poor orphaned child found a fade sleeping in an alleyway, who had been scaring small children in their old village. Bravely, the child rushed to the flower garden of the wealthiest house in their village.  On that house, they had a wide variety of beautiful rose bushes. After tearing a variety of colored flowers with their bare hands, the child rushed back to the fade, presenting them to it. With bloody hands cut from thorns of the bushes, and shaking violently out of fear of the spirit, the child handed the tiny bouquet to it. They begged the Fade to find peace, and offered the roses as recompense to move on and spare the people of their village. The Fade, unfortunately, was unimpressed at the meager offer, and disregarded the gift as childish. Out of spite, it crushed the roses in its hands, petals falling like feathers and littering the ground. It then merely turned to walk away from them, going about its merry way, leaving the child disappointed and broken. But just as it tried to turn the corner, the neighbor who the child had stolen the flowers from came into the alleyway.  In heated anger, the neighbor struck the child with a cane several times, cursing its wretched behavior and theft. Instead of leaving as it had intended, the Fade watched as the weary and terrified face of the adult assaulted the child relentlessly. The child took the punishment, never once complaining, accepting their fate for what they had done, never offering an explanation as to why.” she says dully, fiddling with her hands nervously.

Jack glanced at the photographs on her desk, overlooking his smiling children in their family portrait.  

Caiti continues, gripping her hands tightly.  ”When the beating was over, and the adult had left, the Fade walked over to the bloody and bruised body of the child. Almost crippled, the young child was on the verge of death from the the strikes, a pool of blood underneath its body. So in a confused and angry screech, the Fade asked the child… Why? Why had they not fought back or attempted to run? Why did it risk so much for one pathetic Fade, knowing full well what would have come from the theft in their villiage?” shes says, her face falling to the ground.

Jack’s heart skips, seeing her gently brush her hair away, her voice animated towards the end.

Softly, her voice lowers. “The child said… It would have risked anything to make the Fade happy, and let it move on in life, sparing those around him that were being haunted. And it was the only thing they thought might make the Fade happy, the blooms, according to the child, being the most beautiful in the whole wide world. They were something the child coveted greatly themselves, always wishing to posses such beauty, but never having the money to acquire such lovely things themselves.” Caiti says, smiling sweetly.  

"Taken aback by the innocence of it all, the Fade fell to its knees, realizing that the child felt sorry for it. That with them being a orphan, they knew the sorrow of being alone in the world, and never wished for anyone else to feel like that. Seeing the beauty in the child’s actions, the Fade rushes over to the pile of flowers it had crushed earlier, grabbed the remains of the four colored blooms, and the fifth that was completely barren, merely an empty stem of thorns. Other Fades in the area, who had witnessed the events themselves, joined it in surrounding the child, curious at the Fade’s actions.  They watched as it shared what little life force it had tied to the world with the child, healing its many wounds, broken bones, and bruises.  As it did, the Fade was finally capable of moving on in life, finally at rest. The blooms the fade had been gifted earlier were turned into fine articles of jewelry and clothing, beautiful pieces that would provide warmth and wealth to the child for the rest of their days. The other Fades, seeing the jovial spirit leaving the world, as well as the warmth upon the child’s face knowing such happiness, sought out other humans to help, hoping for their own brand of peace." she finishes brightly, smiling.  

"And so it became that day that all Fades changed their mission in afterlife… To become beacons of hope, and to bring happiness and glee to those around them, in the dearest wish of finding their own means of finally resting eternally." Caiti finishes, taking a deep breath from her long discussion.

Smiling, Jack wipes his face with a napkin, staring at her gleaming eyes in wonder.

Caiti sighs. “And that’s why roses are so precious, at least how my mom always told me. They cut and wound us as we pull them for ones that we love or care about. But… It makes their bloom all the more beautiful, knowing the pain that is found with giving such a gift. And as silly as it may seem, almost child-like to find such wonder and amazement in a petty thing like a rose… It doesn’t make the feelings any less important.” she explains, Jack clapping at her eloquent performance.

"Excellent story… I’ll have to tell it to the kids!" he says, smiling fondly.

She blushes, giggling to herself. “Well thank you! I was always scared it was too spooky for kids. You might tone down the violence just a tad!” Caiti says brightly.

Jack laughs. “Please, I have a house full of boys. They’d die to hear that story, violence and all! Actually…” he pauses, clearing his throat. “Would you… Um… Well, I know this is a little odd, but… Like to come over this weekend? For uh… Dinner? Conversations? Company? Share that story with uh… My kids? Maybe you and me talk just… Uh… One friend to another? No work related?” he stammers nervously.

Not picking up on his high pitched worry, Caiti nods instantly. “I’d love to! But we should probably get back to work. Our lunch hour was up half an hour ago, technically.” she says, pointing to the clock on her wall.  She then tosses a majority of her lunch wrappers into a nearby trash can, clearing off her desk.

Grinning at the acceptance, Jack follows suit with his trash, then pulling back out a large binder that had been left to his side. “So… Advanced first aid classes…. Red cross, or we teach ourselves? I say Red Cross, because frankly… I don’t trust Geoff as a teacher…” he mutters.

Caiti’s happy smile turns grim, pursing her lips together. “We don’t have the funds for that! Do you know how much it would cost in the long run to hire advanced instructors for EACH parent candidate!? You’re insane! Absolutely not!” she exclaims loudly, in a firm tone.

And the two begin to debate loudly, each maintaining a respectful, yet heated, tone over the future of their company.   
____________________

The school day for Ryan, as always, had ended far too quickly. The day of learning, fun and excitement with his friends and classmates found itself over before it even began.

Shutting his locker, several classmates popped by, giving him a fond farewell or acknowledgement. Mr. Tate offered him a good afternoon, followed by several other teachers with equal enthusiasm. Faces knew him, wanted to speak to him, and didn’t shy away. Ryan no longer hid behind the lockers, or snuck away to avoid people who looked down upon him.

No, Ryan held his head high to face the world, his growing physique, broadening shoulders, and wispy hair giving him a strong presence.   
"HURRY UP RYAN! We can’t leave without you!" screamed JJ, stomping his foot irritatingly down the hallway.

Turning his head, Ryan glances down the hallway, sunlight shining through the glass doors. Brightly illuminated in the pale November sun was his circle of friends, all waiting for him to join them on the drive back to his place. Miles and Arryn were hand-in hand, Kerry with his novel notes in hand, and JJ folding his arms annoyingly, clutching his laptop with the website transferred to. His father Jack was there as well, happily smiling as he waited in the parking lot just outside the doors. Alongside his father were his brothers all holding onto him happily, pointing at all the big kids walking past them in wonderment.

Turning back towards his locker, grabbing his history book, a flutter washes over Ryan’s heart.

"Is that your family way down there?" asks a girl with long, flaming red hair, slamming against the locker beside him with a dented thud. 

Shocked by the sudden perky exclamation, he jumps at her, but nods quickly in reply.

Looking over the girl, Ryan got a good peek at the strange student he’d never seen around school before. She had an average build, and was wearing a beautiful, formal red sweater that complimented her hair. Sewn across her heart was a white rose, with petals falling down the length of the fabric. Clearly older, she looked like she belonged in the high school, or even college. 

The girl sighs happily. “Lucky. I bet they’d do anything for you, and you anything for them. I wish I had a family that big and loving again.” she comments.

Ryan nods, an odd wave of cool relaxation covering his face. “Yeah… I love em’. That’d my dad, my brothers, and my best friends. And yeah… I’d do anything for them. Because…” he pauses. Tracing his chest, an even warmer feeling crossed his heart that he’d never felt before. “Because they’re doing everything for me. We’re family… And we’re going to stay that way… Forever.” he says firmly, without a hinge of hesitation. 

Extending her hand, the female classmate smiles. “Margaret. I don’t go to school here, I just came to visit an old friend. Looking for her, I… Well, couldn’t help but notice all of ya’ll. Sorry, I’m a little too nosy for my own good. I just like pointing out happy family when I see them.  Stick with em’ kid.  You’re gonna have a great life with them, I know it.” she exclaims, winking at the male playfully.

He slings his messenger bag over his shoulder, shaking her hand firmly. But has he touches her, Ryan chuckles to himself, blushing at everything he’d managed to admit to her. Inhibitions return, and he quickly retrieves his hand from the VERY attractive older girl. “Nice to meet you Margaret. Well… Uh… I gotta go, my family’s waiting on me. Good talking with ya!” he says, running down the length of the hallway embarrassingly as JJ screams again, this time joined by an equally raging Michael who’d entered the hallway.

And as he sprints towards his waiting party at the door, his body is weightless, without a single burden upon his shoulders. His thoughts are positive, looking forward to the tomorrows to come, the dark times of the past slowly becoming forgotten.

-

Margaret smiles, twirling her long hair among her fingertips while Ryan escapes from her. “Well, if he wasn’t already aware of his golden life, he should be now. Satisfied Edgar? Can we please get back to the REAL matters? Your grandkid has been the EASIEST to deal with. We need to focus on the others now, ok?” she mutters.

Walking outside a small classroom, an older gentleman with a bushy grey mustache hobbled beside her. In a formal black suit and bowler hat, the man was adorned with an aged set of wrinkles covering his face and hands. Solidly across his face was a long smile, a warm and grandfatherly aura surrounding him. Attached to his sleeves were small cuff-links in the shape of black roses, made of a dark platinum. 

Removing his hat and bowing toward her, Edgar reveals a bald head, with only a few wisps of grey hair sticking out from the sides. He gently chuckles. “Thank you young lady, I just wanted to… Make sure he was happy as can be before we moved on. I’m glad the two of us could… Collaborate like this. He would have recognized me immediately, which… Can’t happen, of course.” he whispers in a weak, elderly voice.

Margaret smiles, walking past him down the long hallway. “No problem, hope we can do it again! After all, we’re all after the same goal, right? A shame the five of us don’t work together more… But then again, I guess we all have our own ulterior motives….” she mutters sadly, shaking her head in disgust. “But at least you’re a lot more flexible than Isaac! That screwball is downright scary!” she says incredulously, rubbing her forehead in irritation.

A loud guffaw from the older male stops her in her tracks, swinging her back around toward him. Edgar returns his hat to his head, hobbling towards her with a warm smile. “Actually, since you mention it… He’s doing me quite a favor right now. Finishing up with the Narvaez mess for me, with these old bones being a little bothersome to do the… Heavy lifting, so to speak… Speaking of which, I hope dear Geoffrey will be able to be stretched even further than he already is today…” he quips mysteriously with a light laugh. Leaning into the wall with a painful grunt, the man’s bones crack loudly in his neck. “But really you should give the boy more credit. His tie to this world is just as strong, if not stronger than any of ours. In fact, he does far more for all of them than… Anyone really…” he finishes, vanishing from the hallway as a group of children rush by him, obscuring him from the rest of the world.

Grabbing the rose on her chest, Margaret sighs painfully. “I know that… But… Gahh… Please… Don’t break him Isaac… He’s the glue holding all of this together. We lose him, everything… Will fall…” she mutters sadly.  
Much like Edgar before her, Margaret disappears as a group of teachers rush by her, hiding her departure entirely.  
____________________  
"Make sure he can’t move. Fucker beat the shit out of Martinez." says a violent voice, dark and full of ill-intent.

Geoff had been obviously driven for the better part of half an hour, blindfolded and bound behind the arms. After being carried over someone’s shoulder, he was flung into a chair on a small table. His blindfold is removed, revealing a rusty shack around him, with only a single window to provide light in the shabby room. Surrounded by several men in fancy suits, all clearly wielding weapons of various deadly force, he struggled to unbind his arms. As his wrists begin to rash from the constant movement, the door leading to the outside is opened, two muscular Hispanic males in casual polos walking inside. 

The shorter of the two, a man with a pale completion and of some Hispanic descent, sits before him in a bright red color. Snapping his fingers, the taller, more toned male with a darker completion and a dark blue shirt, quickly produces a large silver suitcase, which was placed in front of him.

He says nothing as the case and a small wrapped box are slid towards him. 

Lighting a cigarette, the man in red inhales deeply, blowing wisps of smoke into his general direction. “Mr. Geoffrey Ramsey. High school dropout. Received your GED and pursued a degree in child psychology at the local Austin University? Worked with the Austin branch of Child Protective Services for the better part of five to ten years as an associate agent. Current co-chairmen of the board that runs the foster charity known as the HomeHunters. Run alongside your foster brother named Jack Pattillo, of which you have known each other since you were of five years of age. Am I correct in assuming this is you?” he asks, in a deep, throaty voice.

Geoff says nothing, eyeing the location, looking for any possible means of escape. His attention is regained as a pistol is placed firmly to the back of his head, a small slap joining it. Swallowing deeply, he eventually nods. “Yes…” he mutters to himself.

The man in blue takes a seat to his immediate right, crossing his legs in a professional manner. “Mr. Ramsey… My name is Luis Narvaez. The gentleman in front of you is Emilio Narvaez, though you may call him Emi. The long and simple of why you are here is because we need to speak to you. Privately, away from the general public or possible… Distractions. My apologies for the disruption to your structured routine, but this is something that cannot wait.” he explains formally. Adjusting his collar, the man inhales deeply, sighing. “I am the father of Ray, the boy you adopted. Emi here is his uncle.” he stated casually.

Gasping quietly, Geoff’s face pales, a cold sweat now dripping down his cheek. He says nothing, eyes flickering back and forth once again in the small shack. “You’re… The criminals… From his mother’s… Letter…” he stutters to himself. A cold ball of ice collects in his stomach, Ray’s face clearly similar to the men before him.

"Emi" blows another long puff of smoke in his direction, sighing deeply. "Yeah, yeah, she told us about that. But before you shit yourself too bad Mr. Punkface? We’re not gonna fuck you up, kill your kids or any of that bullshit. All we want is-"

"You can’t have Ray." Geoff says fiercely.

A shocked look covers the faces of both of the brothers, staring at him with wide eyes.

Venom glints off his eyes, Geoff’s heart and adrenaline pumping through his veins.  In renewed strength, he pools his strength into his arms, attempting to rip the bindings apart. “Stay away from him! Got it? You stay the fuck away from my son! He’s just NOW getting happy. Like HELL are you going to waltz in and fuck him up.” he yells, still in a sitting position.

Luis turns away from his gaze, while Emi rubs his eyes tiredly. 

Geoff inhales and exhales slowly, controlling his breathing. “I don’t give a fuck what you do to me. I don’t give a fuck who you people are, I will not leave here without taking as many of you shitheads as I can with me.  Especially you two!” he growls in the direction of the men across him.  His feet twitch in anticipation as he maneuvers his arms to pull apart the restraints.

Returning his gaze, Luis stares at him directly. “Why? Why do you care for the boy? He’s…  He’s not your son..” he retorts dully.

Without missing a second, Geoff scoffs. “Like hell he isn’t. Who the hell do you think taught him how to swim this last summer? ME. Who the hell do you think he came to when Mr. Paco’s arm got chewed on by our dog? ME. Who the hell do you think stays up late a night, worrying about if he’s still sleeping right? ME. And who the hell do you think it is that knows every goddamn thing that makes him cry when nobody’s looking? ME. You scum don’t know a thing about him. Hell, there’s a teenage BOY who knows more about him than you do. So don’t fucking act like you care! If you REALLY cared, you’d never put your own son in so much danger that his mom has to run away from you!” he screams, spitting in their general direction.

Silence envelops the room, the only noise coming from the puffs leaving Emilio’s mouth and Geoff’s labored breathing and struggles.

Casually rubbing the butt of the cigarette out into the wood table, Emi sighs. “Madeline? Luis? What do you think? I think… It’s clear what needs to be done here.” he asked quizzically.

From the shadows of the room, just outside his field of vision, a woman in a thick blue sweater joins the table, taking a seat across from Luis. With dark black hair running down her back accenting her tan completion, Geoff noticed her all-too-familiar eyes immediately. 

"Holy shit… You’re her… Aren’t you?" Geoff spat out, staring at the woman in awe.

A displeased frown was present across the woman’s face, accompanied by a set of folded arms. “Luis… Emi is right. As much as I hate it… He’s right.” Madeline mutters, ignoring Geoff entirely.

Luis shakes his head. “So… We finally make our peace, get our freedom, and try to turn our lives around? And… After all that, we’re just… Giving him up? Just like that?!” he screams loudly, slamming the desk with his fist.

Madeline clutches something around her neck with both hands, folding them neatly into one another. “Sweetheart… It’s the right thing for him. Clearly, this man is far better suited than… Any of us. Watching him these last weeks and how he cared for our son, you know that first-hand… How he played with him, and made him smile in a way that we never could. Then his actions here, in the face of such threats… He showed far more courage than either of you two, or myself ever did for Ray. He’s… Ray’s real father…  He…  He puts Ray first, always….” she says, in a solemn, broken tone. 

Geoff shoots his gaze across the table, looking at Emi, who was fiddling with a small set of keys in his hands. “We’re still criminals Luis. All of us. If we’re ever caught or found out, we’d be arrested, and Ray taken right alongside us, shipped off somewhere anyway. The boy isn’t attached to us anymore. The only child recorded in the United States was Ray Ramsey. And ONLY Ray Ramsey can live a normal, happy, life like we always wanted… But that can only happen… Without us in it.” he says, in a dark, yet hopeful tone.

A silence is shared between them once more, Geoff eyeing the three incredulously, heart pounding and sweat accumulating in his body. 

Before he could speak, Luis raises himself from the table, walking away from them. “Then I’m moving here. Permanently. Mia and Madeline too. With Sara gone to god knows where with her severance, I want my daughter in a GOOD neighborhood, away from all the mess in Florida. I want to see my son grow up, even from a distance and him never knowing my name. And I want to keep Madeline close by, as I’m sure… You can imagine why… That’s the only condition I ask for. And then… I’ll do it.” he says explicitly, swinging around to face his brother.

Geoff’s heart calms, taking in the conversation before him, calming himself.

_Wait.. Are they… Giving him up?_

The man rubs his forehead painfully. “You’re leaving me to clean up father’s mess? ALONE? Some brother…” Emilio comments, groaning loudly. After a few moments, he eventually nods reluctantly. “Fine. You can leave. But be prepared to work the southern half of the States, because you still have PLENTY to do. Understand?” he states firmly.

Luis nods. “Of course.” he responds without hesitation.

With a firm handshake shared between them, they return their looks towards Geoff, staring him down. Emi signals the guard with a snap, who removes the firearm from Geoff’s head, and unfastening the rope that bound him to the chair. Another guard to the side moves beside him, fiddling with the silver suitcase that had been thrown to him earlier. Opening it upwards, a dozen or so bank statements, contracts, and papers are neatly stapled together. 

Madeline’s face brightens, gently touching Geoff’s hands. “A written contract pledge for your company’s donation drive. Picked it up from Ms. Ward’s office last week, and it’s been filled out in full. We pledge a fraction of ten million dollars to be paid out over the course of our son’s lifetime in your care. You will receive a transfer just like this once each year on my child’s birthday, which is tomorrow. These funds are for your silence, cooperation and understanding in this matter. The money is to be spent however you see fit, and we’ve listed as such in our contract.” she explains.

Body freed at last, Geoff attempts to stand, but is swiftly pushed back downwards, as a gentle encouragement to stay and listen.

Lighting up another cigarette, Emi lets the embers slowly burn the tip. “Think of it as a donation from the NV Foundation to a fledgling child-care charity that needs a boost, hoping to provide a better life for the underprivileged. Or us in need of a tax write-off if you have to explain shit from a business perspective. And… Don’t sweat the legality of it. It’s one of our few shell companies that actually makes cash cleanly. This way, your company is kept out of anything shady.” he comments.

Stunned, Geoff looks at them with a tilted glance. “Huh?” he asks, the man’s face scrunched together in disbelief over the numbers.

Taking his seat once more, Luis grabs Geoff’s hands, clutching them tightly. “In short, this is hush money.  Let me and Maddie be around our son discreetly, and keep our existence…  Quiet.  Do that, and your company can grow as large as you want it to.  And…  My child can stay where he belongs.  With you..” he says sadly, turning his face down. 

Geoff’s rapid heartbeat slows, as understanding now washes over him in waves of relief. “So… You’re donating money to my charity and basically bribing me because… You want to take care of your son? And… For me to shut the fuck up about that fact, or the fact that you’re wanted criminals in the area? And if I do that… You’re going to leave us alone? Even… Even Ray?” he asked nervously.

Madeline nodded. “That’s right. Things have… Really changed since my boy was left in your care. For the better, of course, but… It’s still far too dangerous for him to be involved with us. Staying with you and your children… It’s… It’s for the best.” she states weakly, uncertainty filling her voice.

Closing the case with papers inside, the guard shoves it into Geoff’s lap. Alongside it, the small wrapped box is placed in his free hand. Looking at it curiously, Luis chuckles lightly to himself. “A gift. Ray’s birthday is tomorrow, and… That’s been with me my entire life, since Madeline and I were children. I pass it on to him now, in hopes that… It will keep him safe as it did for me.” he says, looking away from the man.

Madeline stands, hugging Geoff’s neck tightly. “Thank you for taking him in like you did. You were the answer to my prayers.” she says, releasing him from the embrace. “Take care of my baby boy. Ok? He means the world to me.” Madeline finishes with tears running down her cheeks, stepping backwards away from him. 

Wordlessly, Geoff just nods his head. Looking at the kind faces before him, he smiles gently. “Next time… Just call. No need for the mob shit, ok?” he chuckles nervously, still glancing sheepishly at their many weapons.

But before he could worry too much, Geoff is hoisted out of the chair by the guardsmen, and blindfolded once more. Being led out quickly and forcefully, Emilio walks beside him as the sun warms his face, the uncle whispering into his ear. “Sorry. It’s all for the safety of our little Ray. Can’t have you knowing where we are. You understand, I’m sure” he says in a relieved voice, pushing him into the door of a limousine with narry another care.  
_______________________

_Dear Santa,_

_Hi, my name is Michael Jones, and I live at the HomeHunters with Gavin, Ray and Ryan! (Don’t Forget!)_

_My brother Gavin says you give free stuff to good boys and girls and that you’re real. My old daddy said you weren’t. I don’t know, but Gavin’s smarter than me, so I bet he’s right.._

_Well, I’ve not been a really good boy this year. I bit my Daddy, kicked my brother Ryan in the privates, bit Uncle Burnie, hit my friend Dan’s Daddy with a baseball bat, and I yell and scream a lot. I was in time out bunches._

_But I’ve tried to be good now! I take care of my puppy Edgar for my Daddy, I make sure my brother Gavin stays away from meanie Chris and Brandon, and I don’t hit or bite nobody anymore._

_So maybe I can have a little present? I’d like a video game called Pokemon Pearl for Gavin. I already have a game called Pokemon Diamond from my brother Miles, but I can’t catch them all without it! And it’d let my brother Gavin play a really fun game with me, since I don’t wanna lose my pokemons and start my game over._

_I hope that’s not too much._

_Sincerely,_   
_Michael Jones_

Ryan grins widely at the cuteness of the whole situation, rubbing Michael’s head as he sat on his lap. He’d been writing Michael’s Santa letter for him, but letting the child sign his own name. “If it makes you feel better, I forgive you for kicking me in the nuts. Makes up for all the times I made fun of your ponies.” he says, laughing the situation off.

To his right was Miles, with Ray in his lap, writing his miniature self’s letter for him. Wiping his tear-stained eyes away, he laughs. “Ray-Ray… You’re crazy.. You should ask for games and stuff. Not THAT!” he exclaims loudly.

With a curious glance, Ryan is handed Ray’s letter from Miles, glancing over it quickly.

_Dear Santa,_

_It’s Ray!_

_Last year, I asked to see my daddy, and for Mommy and I to get to go to Disneyland  I didn’t get to see daddy, but I did get to go to Disneyland  That was fun! Thank you very much!_

_But this year, I’m living with my new Daddy, Geoff. Mommy had to go away, and wants me to live here now. So bring my presents here, ok?_

_But what I want for Christmas isn’t a trip or a toy. Can you just make sure I get to stay here forever? I miss Mommy and want her to come home, but I love my new house more. Daddy Geoff loves me, and Jackie’s always reading stories with me! I have lots of fun playing video games with my brother Miles, and love playing superheros with Gavin. Michael’s a little loud and likes playing outside too much, but he’s ok._

_So I don’t wanna have to leave. I don’t need toys. I just want… To be home forever._

_Sincerely,_   
_Ray_

Ryan looked up from the letter, pushing it back into Ray’s chest. “You’re crazy. You don’t need anything from Santa like that! You’re not leaving EVER. If Dad promised you can stay, then you’re staying. Miles, make him re-write that.” he comments, shaking his head.

Ray pouts, crossing his arms. “No! If Santa gives me just that, then that’s all I want! I can ask him for presents next year!” he yells in a fierce tone.

While the four males argue back and forth loudly, their noise irritates Kerry, who was writing on the dinner table with Gavin. They exchange eye rolls, Kerry returning to Gavin’s letter, the boy continuing his dictation.

_Dear Santa,_

_My name is Gavin Free. This year, I’m living with my new family. So don’t leave my presents at my old house! They sold it to someone else. I live at the HomeHunters in Austin, Texas now._

_How are you? Is Mrs. Claus doing good? I hope you had a good vacation this year!_

_I’m doing good. I’m very happy now. My bruv Cameron came and found me, I have a new dad and daddy who love me, and I have the bestest new bruvs and brothers ever!_

_This Christmas, I’d like for Mr. Monty to make a RWBY character for Michael. A character who’s best friends with Weiss. That way we can play together on the playground, and Grandpa Joel can make him a fancy costume like everyone else!_

_Can i also have some books? Books that Daddy can read to us all at bedtime together!_

_I’d also like a piano. I know they’re expensive, but I want to learn how to play one like my bruv Isaac did. Maybe just a baby piano? One that could fit in my room!_

_Thank you Santa,_   
_Gavin Free_

Gavin signs his name, Kerry excitedly reading it over once more. “A piano? You wanna learn music?” he asked, folding the letter in half.   
Nodding, Gavin smiles brightly. “Yeah! My bruv Isaac played it, and it sounded really pretty! I wanna play pretty music for everyone too!” the child exclaims happily. 

A loud sigh from the other side of the house causes worry to replace the otherwise jovial expressions.

"Geoff, it’s Jack again… Listen, it’s like six, and I still haven’t heard from you since this morning. Call me back, ok?" Jack says, pacing restlessly back and forth in the nearby kitchen. 

His pitched voice causes the children to look towards him, Ryan’s face stiffening in response. “Still can’t get a hold of dad? Was he supposed to go somewhere today? Did we just forget?” Ryan asks, voice hitched in discomfort.

Jack puts on a fake smile, hanging up the cordless phone. “It’s fine. His phone is probably just dead. Or he got caught up with something for the business. Not a big deal, he’ll be home soon, I’m sure.” he replies pleasantly.

Michael frowns, shaking his head. “Daddy’s always home at night. Or tells us if he’s leaving… ALWAYS. He ALWAYS does!” he retorts darkly, hopping off Ryan’s lap and rushing over to Jack. His usually tough demeanor melts, a pale concern overtaking his face. “Call the popo! Get Mr. Matt to go look for him! PLEASE!” Michael screams, pulling on Jack’s hand towards the phone.

Chuckling, Jack picks up Michael, patting him on the head. “Relax! Dad’s just fine, I’m sure.. Besides, he’s a tough guy. If he was in trouble, he could take care of himself.” he replies casually, patting him on the back sportingly.

Wrestling away, Michael pops out of Jack’s grasp, walking over towards Ryan. Pulling him off the couch, Michael drags the boy towards the front door. “RYAN! Let’s go look for him! He might be walking!” he yells loudly.

Ryan allows himself to be drug, but stops just outside the door. “Listen… If Jackie says it’s ok, it’s probably ok. Let’s just-” he starts weakly, being ignored entirely.

Rushing the opposite direction, Michael pushes out the back door, rushing into the gated yard, screaming loudly for his father once he was outside. 

Jack shuts his eyes, exhaling deeply. “Dammit Geoff… You never let your phone die…” he mutters anxiously under his breath.   
_______________________

Sitting in the backyard of her home, Courtney was drawing in a sketchpad, next to the dead bushes lining the house. Outside with her was Grandma Heyman, as well as Kara, both raking the fresh leaves littering the back yard. 

Finishing a line with her colored pencil, she pulls the book backwards to look it over. A portrait of herself, holding hands with Joel, Kara, Dan and Lindsay. The characters weren’t solidly drawn, but was leaps and bounds beyond anything the other children her age could do.

"What a pretty picture!" exclaims a warm voice.

Looking up, a woman with long, candy red hair, and in a utility jumpsuit was fiddling with a meter attaching the house. Dangling from her ears were beautiful yellow rose earrings. Courtney recognized her as the lady that came by once a month to “check their electricity boxes” as Joel said. She was Ms. Allison, a nice lady.

Courntey smiled. “Thanks! It’s my new mommy and daddy and brother and sister!” she excitedly said. 

Allison crouched down beside her, pointing to two individuals in the corner. They had wings and a halo on their bodies. “Who are they?” she asked.

What brightness had been in her face slowly melted, a frown quickly forming. “That’s… My old mommy and daddy. Aunt Caiti said they had to go to heaven cuz they died in an accident. They’re watching me way up in the sky now.” she mutters quietly. 

Throwing her hands into her pockets, Allison gently pats her on the back. “Does that make you sad?” she asks.

Courtney nods sadly. “Yeah.. I loved Mommy and Daddy. I miss them. I bet they’re sad and lonely up there…” the girl says, in a downtrodden voice.

Pointing at the picture again, Allison motions to a brightly smiling Courtney, happily beside Joel and Kara. “I bet they love and miss you too! But… I bet they’d be a lot happier in heaven if you smiled like that all the time!” she says happily.

The child’s expression softens, looking up at the woman with a scrunched face. “Whattdya mean?” she asked in a perplexed tone.

Giggling softly, Allison stands back up, walking away from the girl. “I know that if I died, I’d want to see my little boy happy and laughing while I was up in heaven! I’d never feel sad, as long as I knew the people I loved had moved on and found a new life! I bet your mommy and daddy feel the same way, cuz everyone feels like that! So be happy with your new family, and I bet you’ll make them happier in heaven!” she explains, returning to the box she’d been working with previously. Pretending to scribble something down on a professional notepad, Allison turns back to face Courtney once more. “Trust me. I’m a grown up, I know these things!” she explains officially.

As Courtney opens her mouth to speak, her neighbor’s house blows itself open violently, Michael scampering out of the house’s back at mach speed. “DADDY!? DADDY!? WHERE ARE YOU?!” he screamed, looking around the shared back yard frantically. He’s screaming into the air loudly as he could, gaining the attention of both her grandma and mother, who rush over to him quickly. Courtney quickly turns to the other yard, seeing one of her friends in near tears as Mr. Jack walks out to console him. He is pulled, kicking and screaming into the air and back into the home. 

Allison turns, her face away towards the latest addition to the yard. “Just trust me Courtney. Don’t worry about your mommy and daddy. They’re safe, and just want you to enjoy your life. Have fun with your new home, and may your life be full of joy and happiness. That’s the only way to move past all this.” she mutters quietly to the child, just barely within earshot. 

But turning back to face Ms. Allison, Courtney is faced with empty air, the woman completely gone. She looks around for several moments, eventually frowning as her absence became obvious. Pondering back on the words the lady had spoken, Courtney peers down at her drawing. She stares at her parents, then points her gaze upwards, into the sky.   
"I…. Should just be happy?" she comments simply to herself.

-

Atop a roof far across the street, Allison plays with her yellow rose earrings nervously. Watching her son weep into Mr. Pattillo’s arms panicked in their living room, her heart drops. 

Fiddling with her hands, Allison remotely pokes the small dog in the home, his ears perking up immediately.  Edgar looks through the window facing the outside of the home, Allison pointing towards her son.  Obeying her command, Edgar hops onto the couch, curling into Michael’s lap.  Her son begins petting the dog, tears alleviating somewhat from the dog’s comforting touch.

She sighs in relief, biting her fingernails quickly to the stub.  

Appearing beside her instantly was a young man in a sharp suit, a red rose sticking out of his pocket. He ruffles his dark brown hair worryingly. “Don’t worry. He’s on his way home. Safe and sound, and Ray’s fate is to stay with them. Sorry for the scare there, I probably should have told you the plan…” he ushers in a warm tone.

A sharp slap finds its way from Allison’s hand onto the man’s cheek. Leaving a deep red marking, Allison shoots upwards, following up with a firm kick into his side, flinging him off the roof. “ISAAC FREE! You don’t mess with Ramsey EVER AGAIN! Got it!? I WILL END YOU!” she screeches, throwing herself back to a sitting position, fuming angrily.  "That man is all my son has in this life besides your brother. And are you forgetting he’s the thread tying all of this together?! ALL OF IT?! So what do you do?! YOU THROW HIM TO THE NARVAEZ WOLVES?! ARE YOU INSANE?! What if they’d killed him?! They’ve killed for a hell of a lot less!" she screams angrily.

Climbing his way back onto the roof, Isaac groans painfully, a trickle of blood running down his nose. His eyes are squinted, glancing at her in anger. “Oh knock it off! I’m trying to help all these kids you selfish twat! Unlike you, who’s just interested in your own damn son! Not all of these kids have a Fade to watch over them, and Ray needed more insurance to keep him around. Gavin asks me to help ALL his brothers and friends every night, so I do whatever’s in the best for the family, not just for him. You know that! And honestly, you think JACK would have taken their deal and still clammed up? Or Joel? Or even Kara? Like hell. Geoff was my only option. He’d do anything for these kids, and that includes dealing with a criminal syndicate apparently….” he chimed, sitting down and wiping away the blood from his face. 

Allison folds her arms, giving him an equally dark expression. “Hey, I’m helping the other kids too, don’t get all high and mighty with me! Who do you think’s been ordering around that damn dog of yours while you were poking at the Narvaez family?” she shoots back, shoving him harshly.

Shrugging, Isaac lays back on the roof, letting the setting sun wash over his body. “Didn’t say you didn’t do anything. Said you’re only interested in Michael. Which is true, don’t deny it! All your actions focus around him in some form. From you rigging that game with the jackpot tickets, to the stuffed animals perfect for the girls, getting your old pal Carter that job at the elementary school, and even going all the way to manipulating MY dog to sleep with him every night? Makes me wonder what you were talking to Courtney for.” he snarkily retorts.

The woman huffs, kicking herself forward, leaving behind a small red feather where she had been sat upon. “Well do you blame me for being selfish?! It’s my fault he’s in this situation, I failed him as a mother. You wouldn’t understand… You’re not like me…. You? You died protecting your brother and boyfriend. You were brave, standing up for them your entire life, being a beacon of strength for your family. Me? I let some bastard smack me and my son around until he killed me, almost ending Michael himself! I never did what should have been done. Well not anymore… Those days are over. I’m devoted to Michael, and even moreso, I’m devoted to myself. Making everything right that I made wrong in my life, and nobody is going to get in my way…” she scathes, staring at Issac directly from above. “Nobody!” Allison screams, vanishing quickly before his eyes. 

Isaac is unaffected by her rage, merely sighing. Pulling underneath his shirt, he whips out a small silver chain. At the end of it was a bright, diamond encrusted red rose, acting as a pendant. “And that’s why you’re here… Just like the rest of us. Though you can’t seem to get the bigger picture… That… There’s more at stake here than just our family… So much more…” he says quietly, wind softly swaying against his hair.   
_______________________

While everyone sat awkwardly in the living, waiting for any sort of news from Geoff late in the evening, the locks to the front door began shuffling. Ray’s ears perked up, turning around to face in that direction. Michael charged that way, rushing as fast as he feet could carry him. And with a single pull from the small boy, the door was opened more quickly, revealing Geoff in the frame of the door. 

"DADDY’S HOME!" screamed Michael in hysterics, hugging the man’s leg as tightly as he could.

Gavin hopped from the back of the couch as well, rushing over to hug the man’s other leg. Ryan wipes his eyes, laughing to himself. Miles collapses back into the couch, shutting his eyes tightly, sighing in his relief.

Jack stands, walking slowly to his side. “Where’ve you been? I’ve been calling you all day, and you never picked up! We were worried sick!” he yells angrily. 

Laughing it off, Geoff merely shakes his head. Opening a bright silver suitcase on the kitchen table, he takes out and tosses a small wrapped box in the air with his hands, catching it impressively. “Oh, you know… Cell phone died, and I was out busy doing stuff. Lost track of time. Sorry! Won’t happen again! Maybe.” he says in a carefree tone, walking awkwardly with two small children still firmly attached to his legs. 

Standing before Ray, who was peeking out behind the couch, he hands a small present to the boy, ruffling his hair playfully. “Ray? Remember when we said we didn’t know when your birthday was, and since you didn’t know either, we made it on New Years?” Geoff says, kneeling down beside the boy.

Ray nodded, remembering the conversation clearly.

Smiling, Geoff leans down, effortlessly picking both of his children from his legs, hoisting them atop his shoulders. “Well… I found out today that your birthday is actually TOMORROW! That’s why I was gone all day, to get you the perfect present and change your birthday on all your paperwork!” he exclaims loudly.

Loud rounds of applause erupt in the home, pats, hugs and hair rustling covering the boy’s skin. An embarrassing shade of red appears on his face, hiding behind the tiny box.

Jack tilts his head, eyeing him mischievously. “And how did you find out when Ray was-“

Geoff cuts him off, kicking him violently in the shin, who grunts painfully at the contact. “Never mind that. Open it up! We’ll plan your party tonight too! Yours AND Gavin’s!” he says in a elated tone, gently placing the two children off his shoulders and onto the couch. He joins them on an opposite seat, watching as Ray rips the paper off, everyone loudly murmuring in anticipation.

With the paper removed, Ray opens a box, lifting out a small pendant from inside of it. A long, pure golden chain, with a solid silver cross hanging off of it. Solid gold plating covered the interior, a set of Latin words inscribed across it. “Te Absolvo”, in a tiny script.

As the children oohed and ahhed at the jewelry, Ray’s face gently smiled. “Mommy… Mommy had one just like this! Even with all the writing and stuff!” he managed to get out. He looked up at Geoff expectantly, eyeing him with a gleaming expression, rubbing the inscribed letters carefully with his tiny hands.

Geoff chuckled. “Really? That’s incredible! I didn’t know that! Cool!” he responds hastily, pointing back inside the box. “Forget something? I think there’s a card in there too!” he mutters.  
Pulling out the card, and in an elegant handwriting, Miles began reading the script for Ray.

_Happy sixth birthday Ray! My son, I wish you the best on this wonderful day. Besides this necklace, I give you this solemn vow… I’ll swear that I will protect you and your brothers as long as I live, and never leave your sight. Believe that, come what may, your family will always be safe, and you will never be taken away from them._

  
_And so may you find the warmth and happiness in a place you can finally call “home”._   
_Love,_   
_Your Father_

Without hesitating, Ray throws the over-sized necklace around his neck, where it draped down well past his chest. The child hugged Geoff as tightly as he could. His grip was choking the older male. “Thank you Daddy! I love you too! I love all of you! I love home here! Home here is good! Home here is the BEST!” he yells eagerly, a peace enveloping the child’s voice.

Geoff gently smiles, rubbing the child’s back. “Yeah… Welcome home Ray… For good.” he mutters quietly under his breath.

Interrupting the touching moment, Miles picks up Ray’s Santa letter, ripping it in half in front of the child’s face. “I think we can re-write that now, right?” he says, winking.

-

Across the street, a large limousine is parked just on the outskirts of the HomeHunter residences. With a pair of binoculars staring outside the window, they are quickly retracted as a front porch light illuminates the HomeHunter’s front lawn. Walking out of it was Geoff, walking hand in hand with Ray, both plopping outside the front lawn in thick hoodies, gazing up at the stars in the cool December night. 

Inside the vehicle, a hand crosses Madeline’s shoulder. “Are you sure? You don’t want to say goodbye? Just… Once more?” Luis mutters quietly.

She shakes her head painfully. “I’m sure. Besides… This isn’t goodbye. It’s just…” Madeline pauses, watching as another group of two smaller children rush out with two older boys and Mr. Pattillo, joining Geoff and Ray. They all stare up at the sky, pointing and talking to one and other endlessly, in friendly, warm tones.

Smiling, Madeline sighs wistfully. “It’s just… The start of something different. I’m… I’m not his mother anymore…” she finishes, rolling the window up from her side. 

-

Gazing up at the stars, a surprising amount of peace is shared between the HomeHunters. A peace that the family hadn’t ever quite had before. An evening where… The burdens of the past were no longer placed on their shoulders. Instead… It was an evening of fun, excitement and eager discussion of the future days to come. 

Gavin and Michael were laughing loudly, play tackling with one and other. Michael didn’t shy away from the contact with his shoulder, and Gavin squealed as loudly as his little lungs could, as they tumbled back and forth on the grass. 

Ryan and Miles were talking earnestly about the coming winter holidays and discussing some website project they were doing with their friends. There was no hesitation in Ryan’s words as they planned their outings of fun, though Miles’s self-depreciating humor was still intact. 

Ray was busily palming the cross in his hands in amazement, sitting in Jack’s lap, talking about he and his mother. A topic the child was never eager to discuss in any great detail. But there it was, in fond memories that the child found a smile. And in Jack’s capable hands, the two re-focused the discussion onto fun times they’d had in his new home, as well as the planning for his future party and days to come. 

It was in this peace that Geoff allowed himself to close his eyes. Resting on the smooth ground, he exhales deeply, a peace overcoming his own emotions.  _"I don’t think… It could get any better than this… I’ve got my family… My business… My friends… And my kids finally all feeling at home… All happy, all healthy, and going well… What more could a guy ask for?"_  he thinks to himself. His own genuine smile plasters his face.

"Edgar! Don’t jump on Daddy!" screams Michael a moment too late, as Edgar pounces on Geoff’s stomach.

He grunts, raising himself up to see the ever growing “puppy” wag its furry tail eagerly, with a piece of mail in his mouth. The letter had his name in an elegant script, and Geoff recognized it as the one he’d dropped in the earlier skirmish.

Pulling it from the dog’s mouth, he tears into it, pulling out a delicately handwritten letter.

 _Dear Geoff,_  
 _It’s Griffon. I want to keep this short, because I honestly don’t know what to say…_  
________________

The Luna household had the sounds of eloquent Christmas music playing in the background, Rebecca softly humming along with the old classics. Even only a week into December, Rebecca had decked the halls with every decoration imaginable, creating a cozy warmth to the already gorgeous home. Wrapping a large gift, she delicately tied a sparkling red bow around an otherwise plain white package. It was elegant, neatly presented, and matching loads of other various boxes littering the living room. Delicately writing, a beautiful cursive script reading “Ray” was presented on the paper quickly.

She smiles, moving the box far to her side, alongside various other boxes for the HomeHunters. “I’m sure Ray will just LOVE that sweater. It’s warm, and fluffy, and matches the one I got for Miles! They’ll look SO cute together!” she says to herself, giggling loudly.

Just as she reaches for another box, the front door to the home shoots open. Rebecca turns to the door, her husband walking inside from the cold.

Shutting the door behind him, Kyle smiles brightly. “Rebecca! I’m home early for the holidays!” he yells happily. Making his way through the house, he enters the living room, carrying his various luggage. 

Standing up briefly, Rebecca exchanges a quick kiss with the man, turning back to her work almost immediately. “Good to have you home sweetheart. I’ve got leftovers in the fridge if you want to heat them up. Sorry I can’t cook, I’ve got too much to wrap!” she says perkily, but in a serious tone devoid of fondness. 

Kyle shrugs at the lack of of a warm welcome, parking his rolling suitcase on the floor, looking around the room curiously. “Where’s Miles? I’m sure he’s got an important apology to make to me. Poor kid… I was a little rough on him before I left…” he mutters sadly, slinging his carry-on into a chair. Chucking off his winter coat, he stares at the now angrily shaking woman before him. 

Without moving, Rebecca merely busies herself, grabbing the pre-cut wrapping paper and folding it over a box. “He’s not here. From what I understand, you two had some sort of agreement before you left last fall? Didn’t tell me anything about it, just that you’d understand. So he’s moved out and living with Ryan’s family, and we’re paying for his living expenses. And you’d know that if you ever thought to call home sometime during these outages, or return my MANY calls.” she says sternly. Her hands twitch violently, making a small rip in the wrapping paper. Rebecca discards it immediately, huffing angrily to herself.

"He WHAT?!" Kyle screams, shooting her a incredulous look. He grabs her by the arm, pulling her up to eye level from the floor. "WHERE IS HE? YOU TAKE ME TO HIM THIS INSTANT! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY LET HIM LEAVE! HOW STUPID ARE YOU?!" he roars. His voice filled the home, drowning out the jovial Christmas tunes.

Rebecca slaps his face, forcing him to release her. He cups his face, eyes shockingly staring in disbelief. Fuming, she looks him dead in the eyes. “Don’t you EVER pull me like that again. I WILL call the police you… You… Thug!” she rages. Her voice and words resound with him, causing his face to pale. Kyle slowly steps away from her. Unfaltering in her position, she returns to the floor, pulling another long sheet of white paper from the floor, continuing to wrap. “We’ll go tomorrow. After you’ve had time to calm down. I’ll not have you in such a state around my son.” Rebecca says, swiftly cutting through the paper in an exaggerated fashion.

Kyle stands silently for several moments, eventually falling into the couch behind him. Slumping into the back cushions, he breathes heavily. “ _He… He left? And… Survived? On his own?! He didn’t… Come crawling back?”_  he thinks to himself, in a near-hysterical tone.

After a few moments of silence, Rebecca composes herself, sighing. “If you care? Miles is on the A-B honor roll now. He’s got a girlfriend named Arryn, made a new friend named JJ, and made the Quiz Bowl team last fall. And his attitude is remarkably improved being around Ryan’s family. I don’t know what Ryan’s fathers have been doing, but it seems to be exactly what he needed. I’ve never seen Miles happier in my life. He’s become a respectable young man in your absence.” she explains, in a toxic voice.

The words stung to Kyle’s heart. But as he flings his head to the floor in shame, a familiar scraping sensation glides gently across his check.

“ _You. Don’t. Know. Shit.” mutters a low, dark voice, echoing loudly in his ears from the depths of his memories._

Kyle stands up from the couch, making his way clearly for the staircase. Bounding up them, he doesn’t bother with his luggage, instead making his way directly to the in-house gym.  _"I… I can’t let him do this… I KNOW I’m right! I know exactly what’s best for him! And I don’t care if I have to drag him kicking and screaming back here. I will MAKE him see things my way.._.” Kyle thinks, shaking his head in a renewed determination.   
-  
Sitting outside the Luna household, a young woman of Asian descent shivers, folding her arms for warmth. She had long black hair, waving alongside a solid white dress in the cold wind. Around each of her wrists were wilted stems of roses, with painful looking thorns sticking outwards.   
Closing her eyes, the woman clasps her hands together in a prayer. “Mr. Haywood… There’s… A problem… Mr. Luna came home sooner than expected, and he’s… Angry…” she mutters gently. 

Appearing beside her quickly, and sitting on a garden bench was Edgar, cross-legged, drinking a warm mug of coffee. “You called?” he muttered casually.

She turns to him, smiling gently. “Thanks for coming. Um… I was doing my nightly rounds on all the houses like I usually do, and saw this… So um… I’m not really sure what to do about him… And he’s uh… Your… Grandson’s friend’s father, so… Uh….Your territory?” the female stammers, tripping over her words awkwardly.

Edgar chuckles heartily, standing from his seat, and hobbling towards her. “Misha… Please, there’s no need for concern. But I do appreciate the sentiment.” he says in a warm tone, patting her on the shoulder.

Misha tilts her head, staring at him with a befuddled expression. “But… What if he makes Miles go home? Wouldn’t that… Well… Mess things up for him and Ryan? Ray too, especially.” she adds, wiping her hair away from her eyes with a shaky hand. 

Chuckling again, Edgar merely shakes his head. “Oh far from it. No… This is a monumental occasion that must be allowed to occur for Luna! I have been awaiting this day, actually… To see how far he’s come, and if he will become the man we need him to be!” he exclaims in a far too peppy tone.


	23. Miles's Home

_Dear Griffy,_

_It’s… Geoff._

_It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? I’d almost given up hope of seeing you again. I…-_

Geoff looked down at his letter, crunching the paper into a ball, tossing it over his shoulder. “Motherfucker…” he said, slamming his head firmly against the kitchen table.

Edgar, sitting across from him in a chair, curls into a ball. Whining loudly, the dog gazes at Geoff with a sad disposition, its ears laying flat against his head.

He looks up, giving the dog a dirty look. “Don’t start with me Ed!” Geoff sternly replies.

Michael, still in his pajamas, looks up from his cereal bowl, giving his father a curious look. “What’s wrong daddy? You look mad.” he comments worryingly. 

Rubbing his forehead, Geoff merely shakes his head. “It’s nothing. Just writing a letter to an old friend. But I… Just don’t know what to say.” he replies darkly to himself.

His son slurps the rest of his bowl loudly, belching loudly. “Are they your bestest friend?” Michael asks innocently.

Geoff smiles, nodding. “Yeah. She and I… Knew each other a long time. Since we were little kids, and were really close.” he says fondly. His eyes glaze over in pleasant memories.

Michael scrunches his face, crossing his arms, deep in thought. “What she write you for?” he responds.

He sighs, raising his head finally from the table, laying flat on its side. “She wants to come see me. And I want to see her. But we both… Got into a fight the last time we saw each other. So I’m worried about what to say.” Geoff mutters, in a defeated tone.

The boy laughs, a cocky grin covering his face. “Daddy, that’s EASY. Mr. Reed says if we hurt someone’s feelings, that we say we’re sorry, and really MEAN it! And then not to ever ever do it again! Did you say you were sorry?” Michael asks simply.

Geoff stares at his son, a soft smile on his face. “No… I never got to say I was sorry. She left before I got the chance.” he says, raising his head up into a standing position.

Michael claps his hands together, a light-bulb going off in his head. “Then just say you’re sorry! Really really sorry! You are sorry, right Daddy?” he asked.

Standing from the table, Geoff grabs his son, lifting him over his shoulder and carrying Michael back to the boy’s room. “I sure am buddy. And I think I know what to tell her now, so thanks! But you gotta get ready for school! Not much longer till you’ll be out for Christmas Break! Can’t be missing any school now!” he yells, giving the boy a noogie.   
____________________________

Ryan pulls on a hoodie over one of his dad’s T-shirts, sighing peacefully in the newfound warmth as he collapsed onto his bed.  

_I hate mornings…_

A knock comes at the door, shooting his eyes open. “It’s open!” Ryan yells.   
The door swings open, and Jack enters, smiling. “Hey Kiddo. Can we talk for a second?” he asked, closing the door behind him.

Ryan nods, and Jack sits next to his son. He sighs, rubbing his neck. “A few things… First… I know you’re probably old enough to realize this, but… Christmas around here isn’t exactly going to be an… Expensive affair. We just don’t have the money for it, especially with Ray and Gavin’s birthdays within a week of each other. Then between the business, our budgets, and staying on top of things for the future houses and new kids… Well… I’m sure you get the picture.” he explains.

He rolls his eyes, snorting. “I know that Dad. Don’t sweat it. Just being here this Christmas is enough. Just don’t worry about me, and get my brothers some stuff. They deserve it a whole lot more, since they’re little. I don’t need anything, really!” Ryan explains, waving his hands dismissively.

Jack shakes his head. “Aaaand, that’s why I’m here. Geoff and I talked it over, and know you’re too nice to tell us what you really want. So… Between you and me. No bullshitting, ok? I wanna know what you want for Christmas. Because if I can, I want to give it to you.” he says, patting the boy on the knee.

Ryan looks away. “I don’t really-….” he begins, stopping mid sentence. The boy stares at the floor for several minutes, biting the bottom of his lip. “Actually… There is something. It’s not a big deal if you can’t swing it, but…” he starts, standing up and moving towards his closet. Maneuvering through the organized space, he pulls out a bag, the one he’d come to the HomeHunters with. He rustles through it, grabbing a tattered leather book. Ryan walks back to Jack, handing it to him.

Opening the book, he looks over each page, revealing a photo album. The photos were old, of a much smaller Ryan being held by an older gentlemen with a bushy grey mustache and a formal black suit.

"That was my grandpa, Edgar. He always used to take a lot of photographs when I’d come visit. It was the only thing I didn’t let mom or dad get anywhere near in the house. Because when things got scary, or when I’d be at my worst, I’d look through the photos and think… Things wouldn’t always be that bad." he said softly. Ryan’s eyes close, smiling. "So… Could I get like a cheap digital camera or something? I’d like to take pictures of everything in my life now. So I don’t ever forget how great I feel right now. And maybe fill up this book with… More great memories." he says, smiling.

Jack’s face eases, chuckling. “Well… Geoff and I will talk it over. Thanks for being honest, that doesn’t sound too bad… But now… There’s one other thing we need to talk about. And it… Directly involves you, so I want you to be brutally honest again.” he says, smiling.

Ryan turns to him. “Uh… Ok?” he asks skeptically.

Gazing over to the cot rolled up in the corner of the room, he points to it. “What… What do you think about Miles? Is everything still working out between you two? No fighting? Still close?” Jack asked.

The boy laughs. “Of course! I mean, he chucks his clothes all over the place like a neanderthal, but I can live with that. Why?” he asked curiously.

Chuckling, Jack rubs the bridge of his nose, removing his glasses. “Well. That’s the OTHER thing we need to talk about. Now… This isn’t a promise, but! There is something that… Might happen today. I spoke with Rebecca last night, and… Things with Miles might change. A change that you’ll… Have to approve before we even consider it.” he says, whispering quietly.   
____________________________

Mr. Reed’s classroom was in its typical festive cheer, kids loudly discussing the upcoming Christmas break. Louder than it had ever been in the previous six months, it was a loud roar, the children were particularly unruly.

"WOW! That’s so pretty Ray!" Courtney yells, touching the cross around his neck.

Ray nods. “Yeah! My daddy got it for me yesterday! It was for my birthday today! It’s a promise that I can stay in my new home forever!” he exclaims loudly.

Gavin throws his hands up excitedly. “Yeah, and he’s got a birthday party tonight! Daddy and Dad are gonna get Grandpa Joel to make a real big pie, and we’re having pizza! You guys are coming over too! It’s gonna be REAL fun!” he exclaims.

The Homehunters murmurs excitedly over the pendant and evening plans, as Carter enters the classroom, a small girl being led by his hand. “CLASS! Settle down for me, ok!? I’ve got a really big announcement to make!” he yells a tad more loudly than usual.

Attention goes straight to him, the class quieting immediately.

Mr. Reed smiles, looking down towards the girl. “Boys and girls, I’m happy to announce we have a new student joining us today! Her name is Mia Narvaez, and she just moved to Austin this week! She’ll be joining our class, so everyone make her feel really welcome, ok?” he says brightly, the classroom applauding loudly.

-

Gavin looked at the new girl, blushing wildly. She was tanned, with long black hair running down the length of her back. Mia had beautiful diamond earrings dangling from her ears. Her body was covered in a bright pink sweater, and nice khaki pants.

"Gavin? You look sick! You ok?" Michael asked, shaking his brother’s shoulder.

Brought out of his trance, Gavin sheepishly looks towards his lap. “Uh… I’m ok Michael. That girl’s just… Um.. Really pretty.  And looks nice.” he says bashfully.

Michael blinks a few times, looking to the front of the room, raising his hand politely.

Carter is taken aback by the sudden politeness shown in the boy, pointing at Michael. “Yes Michael? What is it?” he asked quizzically.

Lowering his arm, Michel stands from his seat. “Mr. Reed, can Mia come sit with us? We’ll tell her all the rules and be her friends!” he said firmly, almost in a demanding tone.

The little girl looks up at Carter, smiling. “Can I Mr. Reed?” Mia asked kindly.  
Their teacher shrugs, ushering her towards the HomeHunters. “Of course! Thank you Michael! You just go stand over there for a few minutes Mia, and I’ll pull you up a desk!” he says, leaving Mia right beside the other children.

All of the children exchange pleasantries, Mia eventually turning to Gavin. “Hi! What’s your name?” she asked, extending her hand.

Gavin stands from his chair, taking her hand and shaking it a little too violently. “I’m Gavin! Gavin Free! I’m uh… Michael’s brother! And Ray’s!” he yells, releasing the grip and shooting back to the chair, turning away from her.   
Carter carries the desk across the classroom, putting it between Ray and Gavin. Mia places herself there quickly, turning to face Ray. “Hi! I guess we’re neighbors now!” she says, smiling brightly.

Ray extends his hand, offering it to her. “Cool! Let’s be friends, ok? I’m not real smart though. So if you cheat, cheat off Gavin. He’s the smart one!” he exclaims.

Taking his hand, Mia shakes it. “Ok! Thanks Ray!” she replies.

-

Peeking inside the Kindergarten classroom, Luis smiles, watching as his two children talk and play together. “Ray… Mia… You.. You finally got to meet. I hope you two get along…” he says, sighing loudly.

"Mr. Narvaez?" asks a toneless voice.

Luis sighs, turning around, to face the superintendent of the Austin school district. “Sorry. Fatherly instincts. Where were we?” he stuttered, shaking off his glazed expression.

The balding man in the far too tight fitting button up laughed loudly. “We were talking about the additions to the middle and high schools? The playground expansion project for the elementary? Mr. Reed’s… Position in the school?” he excitedly spoke, rubbing his hands together greedily.

A smug grin forms on Luis’s face, him nodding. “Of course. Assuming… My conditions are met? For Mia and her future friends?” he asked, crossing his arms.

With a loud guffaw, the principal grabs Luis by the arm, walking with him. “Oh believe you me! You donate as much money as you’re promising us, and I’ll get your little girl WHATEVER she wants.

Feeling a particularly disgusting level of grime attached to his arm, Luis rolls his eyes, bearing the man’s intolerable presence just a tad longer.  
____________________________

Ryan glazed outside the window in the middle school library, watching as gloomy clouds rumbled overhead. Study halls recently had been particularly nerve-wracking, semester exams coming up for everyone. Kerry was off with JJ, the two helping each other out in history memorization, while Arryn kept to her own special books quietly in the corner.

Nervously twitching his foot, the boy finally sighed, turning to Miles’s side, the two working on memorizing difficult math equations. “Hey dude… I got a question for you.” he asked.

Looking up from his notes, Miles nodded. “Sure. What?” he asked.

Gripping his own arm tightly, Ryan sighs. “Do you… Like living with us? I mean, it’s gotta be really cramped sharing a room with me. And you had such a big house before… Then I’m sure my brothers are really annoying sometimes to you.” he mutters quietly, keeping his voice low.

Miles drops his pencil, giving him an incredulous look. “What?! Of course I love living with you guys! I don’t miss ANYTHING about living at my old home, except maybe my mom. I love your brothers, they’re like… My own now. I like playing video games with Ray, singing along in the car with Gavin, or watching Michael wrestle you to the ground. Then there’s your dads.. Good god, they’re like-“

"SHHHH" shushes the Head Librarian, eying them fiercely from the head desk.   
The two cringe from the scolding, hushing themselves further.

Miles grabs his notebook, scribbling something rapidly on the paper.

_tl;dr: I love living there._

Ryan grabs the paper, writing on it himself.

_You seriously don’t mind living with me? I’m not annoying, right?_

He reads it quickly, scoffing to himself. Miles writes on the paper again, pushing it back with an annoyed thud.

_You snore like a damn train, but I can deal with that if it means I get to live with your kick-ass family. What’s all this about?_

Ryan reads it over, reluctantly writing on the paper. He shifts it back to Miles, looking away from him.

_Just making sure you’re still happy here. We can change stuff around if you want. Like getting you a real bed, or us doing a bunk-bed deal. Dad (Jack) was asking about it today._

Miles grins, jumping as the school bell rings, voices erupting from the various students in the library. He turns to Ryan, smiling. “Man, your dads are so nice to me. Wish they were my real dads.” Miles says, stuffing his backpack quickly with his various textbooks.

Saying nothing, Ryan just smugly grins, laughing to himself. “Maybe you should ask Santa for that?” he replies knowingly.

Rolling his eyes, Miles groans loudly. “I wish!” he says, slinging his back across his back. He walks out of the library, holding the door open for Ryan and the rest of his friends.

Lighting flashes outside from the coming storm, the florescent lights flickering overhead.  
____________________________

Inside the home of the second HomeHunters, Joel and Kara were sat across each other in the living room, with Grandma Heyman watching from the sidelines. Each of them were enjoying a nice warm mug of cocoa.

"I’m telling you, you’re wrong! Dan’s not a fighter, so why would you want to get him football stuff? I’d rather get him a soccer ball! It’s safer, more sporty, and… British!" Kara mutters annoyingly, crossing her arms.

Joel sighs, rubbing his forehead. “Kara, we live in Texas. T-E-X-A-S. Football is a religion here, and all the boys his age are gonna want to get in on that! Besides, Dan and I watch it every weekend with Geoff and Jack, and we throw the football around in the backyard all the time!. Why not get him started young, and let him see if he likes it? There are peewee teams that’ll be active next fall that he could probably get involved with!” he retorts.

Kara shoots him a dark look. “I’m not letting my little man get involved in such a dangerous sport. Forget it!” she replies.

Just as he opened his mouth to argue, the doorbell rang, silencing him pre-rant. Kara grins at his irritation, setting down her mug and popping to the front door. She swings it open immediately, smiling pleasantly. “Yes? How can I-…..” Kara mutters, dumbfounded.

Standing in the frame of the door, in two very formal trench-coats were her parents, huddling for warmth. Her mother clears her throat, sighing. “Kara? Aren’t you going to let us in? It’s very rude to lurk in doorways.  I thought I taught you better than that.” she mutters quietly.

Shaking off the surprise, Kara ushers them inside. They peel off their fancy coats and scarfs, revealing a secondary layer of formality. Joel and his mother stand, walking towards them. Kara clears her throat, standing between them all. “Uh.. Joel, these are my parents. My mom Caroline, and my dad Joseph.” she introduces.

Joel offers his hand, and exchanges handshakes with the Eberles. “Pleasure to meet you both. I’m Joel Heyman, Kara’s partner in this home.” he says formally, in a tone that betrayed his usual snark.

In a similar fashion, Amanda stands beside her son, imitating his salutations. “I’m Amanda Heyman, Joel’s mother. Won’t you two take a seat and make yourselves nice and comfortable! I’ll get you some cocoa.” she says sweetly, walking towards the kitchen.

Her parents sit across from her and Joel, looking over the place. Clearing her throat, Kara’s mother sits uncomfortably uptight. “What a well kept home… You’d never think three children lived here. You run a tight ship here Kara… I’m… Impressed.” Caroline muttered awkwardly..

Kara smiled. “Actually, Joel’s the housekeeper. I do all the paperwork, budgeting and stuff, or take the kids out. According to him, I can’t be trusted to cook.” she says, laughing.

Joseph adjusts his collar, eyeing Joel curiously. “You’ll excuse me for asking, but… Where are the children? We came all this way to see them…” he strains.

Inhaling deeply, Kara blinks blankly at the comment, almost dropping her mug to the floor.

Joel picks up for her, grabbing his mug of cocoa from the table. “Kiddos will be at school for about another hour. You’re welcome to stay and meet them though! I’m sure they’d be thrilled to finally meet you! Back when my mother came, a few months back, they always asked about their Eberle grandparents.” he says strongly.

Scratching her head, Kara bits the bottom of her lip. Huffing, she shoots them a worried glance. “Umm… I’m sorry to ask… But, what brings you all the way out here? Our last phone calls back in August sort of… Well, I’m just a little shocked to see you here at the very least! I thought you didn’t want to see me again, and there is no way anything is changing in my life.  So if you here for that again?  You might as well leave.” she exclaims firmly, fiddling with her mug nervously.

Caroline sighs. “Funny thing. You left a message on our machine a few months back. Saying how your children wanted to… Meet their grandparents. No matter how hard we tried, we just couldn’t delete it off the machine! Like the blasted thing was cursed! So every time we had to listen to our messages, we had to always listen to that one first. No matter what we did…” she says, taking a mug of cocoa from Amanda, who’d walked into the room. Caroline stares into the warm brown liquid, a wrinkled, worried face staring back at it. “And every time I listened to it… I missed my little girl, so much…” she says, sniffing.

Kara’s father takes his own mug, groaning loudly. “Sweetheart… Your mother and I realize now that we were just a little too controlling with you growing up. And in the end, we drove you away from us, and out of our lives. Our only little girl, who we’d loved our whole life… Just… Gone. We wanted for years to make everything right, but couldn’t. It just took old age to kick the stubbornness out of us.” Joseph said, taking a long draft from his mug.

Wiping her eyes, Caroline takes a deep breath, calming herself. “We just want to be a part of your life again. And… Get to know our daughter better. Get to know our grandchildren. And see the life you’ve made for yourself, and… The people who are important in it.” she finishes, looking up from her mug. Staring at her daughter, she looked at her firmly. “Will you give us another chance? Please?” she asked, almost pleadingly.

Kara stares at them, face angrily fuming.

-

"Mia was really nice! I hope she can come stay the night sometime! We gotta ask mommy!" Lindsay exclaimed loudly, pulling the front door open and entering her home. Right beside her was Courtney, nodding eagerly.

Dan sighs, rubbing his face in panic. “Maybe Gavin will save me from a silly girl party! I don’t want you putting makeup on me again!” he shouts loudly.  
The three laugh loudly, silencing quickly as they see an older lady in the kitchen with Joel.

Turning around, the stranger smiles softly. “Ohhh! Are these the kids Kara?” she exclaims, rushing over to them, wiping her flour stained hands on an apron.

From the living room, Kara walked into the front of the home, beside an older male stranger. “They sure are! Mom, Dad, this is Dan, Lindsay and Courtney!” she says, pointing to each child individually. Turning to her side, their mommy points to the strangers. “And this is Grandma Caroline, and Grandpa Joesph! This is my mommy and daddy!” she exclaimed.

Grandma Caroline leans down to the girls, gasping. “Oh goodness! Such beautiful little girls! You’re the most precious things I’ve ever seen before!” she squeals, waving her hands, fanning her face.

Hositing Dan up, Grandpa Joseph holds him up, looking him over. “And wow! What a strong looking little man! I bet you’ll be a great big football player one day!” he yells proudly.

Kara groans loudly, shaking her head. “Dad! Not you too! There is no way I’m letting him-” she whines, being cut off-mid sentence.

Ignoring his mother, Dan nods his head. “Yeah! I like football! Daddy and I watch it on TV, and I play catch with Michael next door! It’s real fun!” he replies happily, feeling completely comfortable in the stranger’s arms.

A jaw drops on Kara’s face, eyes darting directly to her son. Joel, appearing behind her like a ghost, poking her cheek with a smug grin. “Now now… I know Mama Kara’s not going to tell Dan that he can’t do something perfectly acceptable?” he cracks, winking at the boy playfully.

Dan turns to his mother, face dropping. “Can I not play football Mommy? How come?” he asked.

Kara’s forhead twitches, and eventually sighs. “I was just kidding sweetheart. We’ll talk about all of that later… Why don’t you and your sisters go put your school things up, get dressed in comfy clothes, and come get to know your grandparents some more? Grandma Caroline and Daddy are baking cookies, and we’ve got hot cocoa too! Then we’ve got Ray’s birthday party tonight, so make sure to put on something warm! It looks like it’s gonna rain!” she suggests, looking down at her children.

Joseph puts Dan down, and the three rush off into their rooms, all responding brightly to their mother. But before Dan walks into the hallway, he turns back around. “Grandpa Joseph? You wanna see my room? Daddy has our favorite football teams on the walls, and it’s really cool!” he says proudly.  
He nods. “Sure thing Dan. Go get changed first, and I’ll be right in!” Joseph replies, giving the boy a thumbs up.

Dan trods off to his room, Kara chuckling to herself, standing next to her father. Joseph smiles. “Seems like you’re raising a good boy there. Not at all what I expected, after hearing his… Circumstances.  That’s one’s got a strong heart.” he said, nodding in approval.

Caroline stands up, returning her way to the kitchen. “The girls are absolutely adorable! A little shy though, we’ve got to get them talking! Maybe some sugary treats would open those lips up some more!” she exclaims, re-attending to her batter bowl.

Kara turned to her parents, smiling happily.

 _"I’m glad you’re here. REALLY here.  Finally._ " Kara thought, a familiar warmth spreading through her chest.  
_________________________

The HomeHunter abode was surprisingly empty for the early afternoon. Michael and Gavin were busy keeping Ray entertained while the older males decorated the home. Miles stood atop a chair, hanging streamers across the living room. Beside him was Jack, the two conversing with each other.

"Are you sure? Miles, you can’t sleep on a cot forever. I don’t want you waking up one morning with a back like an old man.” Jack said, shaking his head in irritation.

Miles groans. “Jack… Don’t sweat it. Ryan’s got a good bed, don’t take it down. Besides, I like Mr. Cot. We’re best buds now!” he replies, laughing it off.   
Before Jack could fire back, the doorbell to the HomeHunters rang, and Geoff checked his watch. A devious grin goes over his face, the man poking Miles’s shoulder. “Hey Miles! Can you get that?” he asked politely.

"Yes sir!" he replied quickly, hopping off the chair and towards the front door. He makes his way over to the door, unlocking it, and opening it. "Heeeey—…." he starts, voice trailing off immediately. Face paling, Miles stepped backwards from the door, watching as his father, Kyle, walked into the home. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the sky left the entire region in a dull grey.

"D…Dad?" he stuttered. 

Geoff firmly gripped his shoulder, keeping him in place. “Sorry for the surprise kiddo. Your mom called last night and said your dad came home early. The two of them talked, and your mother wants you and your dad need to talk this out, and I think that’s a very good idea. So why don’t you and he go into my room for some privacy and… Work things out?” he says, ushering Mr. Luna into the home.

Kyle adjusts his button-up collar, cracking his neck. “Thank you Mr. Ramsey. This hopefully won’t take long.” he said officially, staring down at his son.  
Reluctantly, Miles nods, leading his father into the hallway. Taking a quick left, they pop into Geoff’s room, Kyle locking the door behind him, basically slamming it. “Miles Luna, explain yourself immediately.” he says quickly, folding his arms. Kyle bears his eyes into the boy, staring right through him.

He looks away, staring into the floor. “Y…You said that….” Miles begins meekly, swaying back and forth nervously.

Sighing, Kyle shakes his head. “I didn’t actually mean for you to leave. Are you THAT STUPID? I said that so you’d wake the hell up and do what I ordered! But no! You actually ran away from home?! Jesus Christ, you’re as dumb as your mother… Even worse… You shamefully take the time and energy of a CHARITY? Do you not have any fucking honor?” he screams, grabbing his son by the shoulders. Shaking him, Miles is flung back and forth violently. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!? WHY WON’T YOU JUST MAN THE FUCK UP!? DO YOU WANT TO BE A PUSSY THAT CAN’T TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF? BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE!” he screeches, pushing Miles back towards the floor. “I swear… I had no idea how far I’d let you slide. If I knew you were THIS pathetic, I would have smacked some sense into you earlier. Maybe that’s the only way you’ll learn.” he spits. Walking away, Kyle rubs his forehead painfully. “Pack your shit. You’re coming home. NOW. We’ll deal with this privately, when we’re home.” he mutters quietly.

Slowly, Miles slung his head to the ground.

-

_"Any trouble?" Geoff asked, rocking outside on the porch with Miles. Late at night, it was just the two of them, sharing cups of coffee by themselves. The other kids were fast asleep, Miles having just finished a particularly long phone call with his mother._

_Looking into his cup, Miles sighs. “Just the usual. Mom wants to know what dad and I fought about. If there’s anything she can do to make it better, or… If I’d want to come home.” he says darkly._

_Geoff throws his arm around the boy, patting his shoulder. “She’s worried about you. I would be too, if one of my boys ran off without telling me. And she probably keeps asking, cuz I’m sure she’s making all kinds of horrible scenarios too, wondering… How bad he hurt you…” he explains, retracting his arm. “So maybe… Just explain wha-“_

_"No. Mom needs dad. She loves dad… I can’t just… Screw that up for her. He’d do it too. My dad sucks, he’d actually leave her if I said anything." Miles retorts quickly, shaking his head._

_Sensing the looming gloom in the boy, Geoff rubs the back of his head. Clearing his throat, he chuckles. “So how’s the site going? Ryan said you got some good hits already?” Geoff comments, smiling._

_Jumping out of the swing, and leaning against the railing of the porch, he shrugs. “Meh. We got a few friends at school to join the forums, and word of mouth spread on Facebook about it. It’s not gonna be a big deal though. It’s not THAT great.” Miles mutters quietly.._

_Geoff rolls his eyes, shooting up beside him, and grabbing him by the scruff of the neck. “MILES. I’m getting real sick of that shit. I’m adding a rule to this house if you’re staying here.” he says sternly._

_Taken aback, concern strikes his face, mouth slightly gaping. “I… Uh…” Miles stutters, unsure of what he’d said._

_Pulling him into his direct gaze, Geoff stares him down. “Miles.. You matter. You are an important part of this family, and I can’t imagine it ever being the same without you in it. Ray adores you, and it’s because of YOU that he’s out of his shell. You and Ryan are basically brothers, inseparable, being a shoulder for each of you to lean on. Gavin and Michael look up to you for guidance, and you deliver. Jack and I love you like our own, and you help out this house just like anyone else. So for you, who everyone in this house loves, to act like you don’t matter? Like you’re… Nothing? It kills me. It kills Jack even more. But… NO MORE.” he says, sitting his coffee down on the floor. Using both hands, he places them firmly on the shoulders of the boy. “As long as you live here? I don’t want to ever here another negative thing coming out of your mouth about yourself, got it?” he exclaims._

_Miles blinks rapidly, speechless._

_Sighing, Geoff lets go of him, walking away. “Listen… Kiddo… I spent my whole teenage years hating myself. It sucked. I was told from the day I was born… That I didn’t matter. That I was worthless. Just a scum that didn’t matter, and would have been better off dead. Jack feels the same way. We don’t… We don’t ever wanna see a kid feel like we felt. Especially someone as kind, caring and gifted as you are… You have your whole life ahead of you Miles… And I KNOW you’re gonna do something great with it.” he finishes._

_He glances away. “I’m not-“_

_"Miles Luna… I respect you. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. To me? You’re one hell of a man." he says, in a warm reassurance that Miles had never heard before in his life._

_-_

After a few moments of silence, Miles jumps forward from the floor, grabbing his father by the arm and squeezing it. “You’re wrong.” he says quietly.

Swinging around, his father stares down at the boy half his size and weight. And despite the size difference, Miles was not backing down. “I’m not a moron. I’m not a wimp, and don’t you DARE call my mom stupid.” he scathes. Miles steps forward, leaving little space between the two of them. “We had a deal. I left, cuz I’m gonna grow up the way I want to. I didn’t tell mom shit about you threatening to leave her. Geoff and Jack said I can stay here as long as I wanted. You’re still acting like a dick, and not trying to work ANYTHING out. So I’m not going anywhere. Got it?” he says firmly.

Kyle squints his eyes. “Oh? You aren’t are you? Well what are you going to do when I cut you off? No money?! Huh? What then!?” he yells. Pushing the boy backward, Miles plummets to the floor effortlessly, banging his body against Geoff’s dresser.

"Then we’ll take care of him. He’s family, after all." chuckles Jack, opening the now unlocked door, key in-hand.

Beside him was Geoff, folding his arms smugly. “I actually had to see it to believe it… I never doubted Miles, but… Wondered if I’d got the full story. Sure enough, it’s just like he said.” he said, in a tone of disgust.

His father cracks his neck, eyeing them darkly. “Excuse me, but this is a personal mat-“

"No… I don’t think it is." Geoff replies, stepping into the room quickly. "Not when I just heard you threaten to "smack" some sense into him under our roof. Then "deal" with him when you got home.  And I just witnessed you push your son into furniture. All said and done in front of two witnesses. Two VERY respectable witnesses in this community." he stresses, pulling Miles up from the floor. "That’s… As I’m sure you’re aware… A crime. To threaten the well-being of a child." Geoff says venomously, Jack pulling Miles away from his father.

Kyle bites his lips, rubbing his head in irritation. “Listen… I’m sure you people are… Hard up for money. Would a… Donation from the Luna family make this… Go away?” he asks, pulling into his pants pocket.

Rolling his eyes, Geoff chuckles at the man. “Odd you mention that… I don’t think we’ll be needing funds for quite some time. Recently got a very generous long term pledge from a far more respectable family than yours.” he says, a hearty grin on his face.

Miles steps forward, standing beside Geoff, head held high. He turns to Geoff, looking up at him. “Are you sure? Dad is pretty rich, and-“

Geoff pats him on the shoulder. “I’m VERY sure. Don’t you worry about us kiddo. You worry about yourself, got it? This is your home. You fight for it.” he says, winking at him.

Kyle shakes his head. “This is ridiculous. I AM THE BOY’S FATHER! I KNOW WHAT’S BEST FOR HIM, AND WHAT’S BEST IS-“

Standing in front of Geoff, Miles shakes his head. “No you don’t! You’ve NEVER known what was best for me! If you did, you wouldn’t make me feel like shit all the time! You wouldn’t have just thrown me out because I didn’t make a sports team! ALL you want is some sporty jock son like you were! And if you can’t have that, you don’t want a son at all! ADMIT IT!” he screeches.

His father’s eyes widen, body freezing. He balls his hands into a fist, gripping it tightly. “That’s not what I….” Kyle begins, taken aback as Miles closes the gap between them, looking up at him once more, with fierce eyes.

"You don’t care about me AT ALL. ADMIT IT! JUST ADMIT IT!" he yells loudly.  
-

Kyle says nothing. His fist slowly relaxes, looking into the boy’s eyes as his own anger and frustration subsides.

“ _Who… Who taught you to… Be strong like that? To… Stand up to someone stronger than you… Twice as big as you? Someone who you’re… Scared of.”_  he thinks to himself.

"ADMIT IT!" Miles screams again, tears rushing down his cheeks.  
He raises his head up, staring at the two men his son had been staying with. The one with the fiery red beard was clutching a phone in one hand, watching Kyle carefully. The other one had his eyes trained expertly on Miles, with a proud, fatherly smile on his face.

Turning his head, Miles’s friend was watching from the door, gazing at him with an angry scowl and folded arms. A small Hispanic boy was with him, being held back by Ryan.

Finally, Kyle returns to his son, watching him. His face was determined, unfaltering, fists clenched to his side. Even with the tears, the boy’s face was bold, threatening.

"Do whatever you want Miles… If you think that…. Then who am I…. To argue?" he finishes, walking past his son. Not looking back, he stood at the frame of the door. "I’ll… Be gone the rest of the weekend. Go by the house and pick up the rest of your crap. Don’t… Don’t ever come back. Go be a… Ramsey for all I care." he says in a strained tone, pushing past the younger boys with a loud thud.

-

"Don’t… Don’t ever come back. Go be a… Ramsey for all I care." his father says, walking out of the room, leaving Miles behind in Geoff’s room. Anger and frustration melts off his face, shoulders relaxing. Miles heaves in an out slowly, his body weightless, removed of a burden weighing it down.   
"You’re… Letting me stay?" Miles thinks to himself, mouth slowly transforming into a grin.

Miles is pulled into a huge bear hug by Jack, almost taking the very wind out of him. “Kiddo, I am so sorry you had to hear and see that. It’s not right you were treated like that. But don’t you worry. You’ll always have a home here. Nothing has to change, and I promise you… Everything will work out.” he said, patting him on the back.

Walking into the room, Ryan joins the hug, gripping just as tightly. “Dude, your dad sucks even worse than I thought. Jesus… How’s that for a happy holiday? Sorry man…” he says, shaking his head in disgust.

Small hands grasp around Miles’ legs, hugging him tightly. “I love you Miles… I’m sorry your daddy yelled at you. He was real scary…” Ray comments sadly.  
Jack chuckles, releasing them all from the hug, and picking Ray up from the floor. “He sure was! But we don’t have to worry about hime anymore. Miles is staying RIGHT HERE.” he says, patting the small child on the back.

Slowly, Miles sunk himself down onto Geoff’s bed, sitting on the very edge of it. The smile that had formed is replaced quickly with shame. “J…Jack… I… I can’t do this to you guys… It’s one thing when I had money, but…” he stammers, rubbing his neck sadly.

Ryan and Jack join him on the bed, Ray hopping into Miles’s lap. Gently, Jack wraps his arm around Miles. “Miles… Let me tell you a story. About… When I was a little kid.” he says, frowning.

Miles turns to him, Ryan listening with equal eagerness.

Jack inhales deeply. “When I was five… My birth mother didn’t want to deal with me. I was loud. I was noisy. Just like any other child my age was. But I wasn’t anything like she wanted in a child. She wanted the perfect child, quiet and completely obedient. Being a typical kid, I wasn’t always a perfect little angel. And one day, she just… Got sick of it all, and thought of the perfect way to fix me.” he muttered quietly, rubbing Miles’s back. “She stuck me in a dog cage, telling me I’d never be let out until I learned to act just like good little boy.” he explained painfully.

Ryan’s face drops, hand quickly clutching his chest. “Dad…” he states, crestfallen.

Shushing him, Jack turns back to Miles. “I was left in that cage for a month, fed through the bars like some… Animal. I cried all day, every day. No matter how much I begged, or pleaded with her… My mother refused to let me out, saying that good boys didn’t cry. Then my birth father… He… He went along with it. Saying how it’d… Toughen me up. Make me… Into a man sooner.” he said, sharing a glance alongside Miles. “One day a neighbor saw me in that state. Called protective services, and I found myself in the foster care system. Placed in an equally terrible home with Geoff, and… Well, I guess the rest is history.” he explains.

The boys are speechless, mouths agape, eyes watching over him expectantly.

Jack smiles, standing from the bed, offering his hand to Miles. “Geoff and I both know what it feels like to not be loved or wanted. Geoff physically, me psychologically. To face abuse and know trying times that test us in ways we probably weren’t ready to face on our own… So we made this home… This… Project. In the hopes that… No child would ever have to feel that way ever again.” he says, Miles taking his extended hand sheepishly. “And that includes you. A young man who I have come to find a great deal of respect for.” Jack finishing, winking at him.

With a small scoff, Miles shakes his head. “You respect me?” he said incredulously.

Nodding, Jack puts his arms around both of the older boys. “Of course I do. You and Ryan are great young men, who I know are going to grow up and be fantastic men. Great role models for the little ones, and a pillar of this home.” he replies, speaking strongly from the heart.

And with that, Miles breaks down, leaning into Jack’s shoulder. A tear runs down his face, and he wipes it immediately, face reddening at a mad pace. “T…Thank you. I… I want to stay… I want to stay here, and… Be part of the family. I…” he sobs, laughing through the bright tears. “I love you guys. I love my fri-…. Brothers. I love Grandpa Joel. I love Auntie Kara. I love the neighbor kids. I love Caiti and Barbara and everyone else! But most of all…. I…” he stops, turning away with a blushing face. “I wanna be your son… I want you guys… To be my dads.” he stammered, losing himself in a cascade of tears, dampening Jack’s sleeve.

Smiling brightly, Ryan stands up next to him. He grabs him by the hand. “Dude… You’re already my brother. Nothing would have ever made that any differently.” Ryan chuckled.

Ray pulled on Miles’s shirt, getting his attention. “ME TOO!” he exclaimed happily.

Jack rolled his eyes. “Please. Do you even have to ask? Geoff and I love you like our own. You’re our…” he starts, pulling Miles into warm hug. “You’re like our son, in everything but law and blood. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I can’t promise what’s going to happen now, because we have to speak with your mother, but… We want you here. As a part of our family. And I’m sure Geoff will-” Jack says, looking around in a perplexed manner. “W…Where is Geoff?” he mutters, only now realizing the absence of his brother in the room.

-

Ducking out behind Kyle as Jack tended to Miles, Geoff quickly caught up with the man’s frantic pace. He grabs Kyle by the arm, stopping him just before he exits the front door. “Wait just a minute there… You sure changed your tone there at the end… What gives?” he exclaims.

Turning back Kyle looks the man in the eyes, thunder clapping over the bleak sky. “You got what you wanted, didn’t you? I’m out of here.” he shoots back venomously.

Rain gently begins to sprinkle over the entirety of the region, dampening the two men as they walk out of the house. Geoff sighs, being drug by the stronger male. “I just want to know WHY? What was all of this for? Why you pushed Miles as far as you did. Why you’d throw such a great kid out, and then… Give him up! Just tell me… WHY?” Geoff shouts loudly.

Becoming a torrential downpour almost immediately, rain begins to drown the two, soaking them to the bone. Kyle shuts his eyes, not facing Geoff. “Maybe because when I was a college kid….. I was a little bitch who ran away from home. Got in a fight with my old man. I wanted to go to school and be a director. An… Artist! He wouldn’t have any of it… Kicked me out because of it, so I ran off to the streets. Slept in an alley, up against a dumpster. Some… Punk kicked me awake, held me at knife-point and mugged me. I’d been such a damn wimp my whole life, I couldn’t even fight this skinny prick off, and just stood there like a coward. That asshole took everything from me. Then.. Told me to run on home, because I was a wuss that didn’t know how good I probably had it.” he explained.

Thunder boomed and lightning cracked in the sky, Geoff letting go of the man as he makes his way to his car. Kyle swings the door open, shaking his head. “Maybe… I just didn’t want my son to feel that helpless and make the same piss-poor decisions I made. Make him realize that what I was saying was true, and be tough enough to handle the real world. And to be… Strong. But… He seems to have taught himself manhood all on his own… No thanks to me.” he finishes, throwing himself into the car, shutting the door behind him. Kyle rolls down the window to the passenger side, shooting Geoff a dark look. “If you and that house wants him… He’s yours. I’ll sign whatever you want turning him over. Rebecca will probably do the same.” he yells, rolling the window back up without waiting on a reply. His convertible roars to life, squealing off into the street, rushing away from the HomeHunters.

Rain pelting his head, Geoff wipes the water from his brow. He stares at the car, which was rushing down the busy street at an incredible pace. “Miles…” Geoff mutters to himself.

____________________________

The rain was still pouring that late evening, water droplings plopping through the cracks on the outside porch roof. Drops would strike the heads of Geoff, Miles and Rebecca, sitting on the front porch swing.

Rebecca dropped her head. “He… Said all that? Did… All of that?” she muttered, sobbing into a handkerchief.

Geoff nodded. “Yes Ma’m.” he responded, solemnly. Beside him, Miles nodded in agreement.

She inhaled deeply, composing herself. “Kyle… How could you… How could you be so… So cruel?” Rebecca muttered, turning away from them.

Stepping forward, Geoff rests his hand on her shoulder. “Becky… I know this is a rough time, but… I’d like to ask a favor of you. For Miles’s sake.” he says firmly.

Turning around, she looks into the man’s eyes. Tears roll down her face, but she nods.

Geoff smiles. “I’d like to adopt Miles. Considering everything that’s happened since he came here, and of the things that he’s facing now… I want to do right by him. He’s part of our family now, and… It wouldn’t be the same without him. And honestly… Jack and I have been discussing this for a while.” he says, giving a thumbs up towards Miles.

Taken aback, she steps backwards. “Y…You want to…” she stutters.

Miles shoots forward from the porch swing, taking his mother by the hands. “Mom. PLEASE. Geoff and Jack have been great to me. I love my brothers, and I’ve never felt more at home here. I… I wanna be a Ramsey. More than anything else. This… This is my home!” he exclaims vividly.

Still distraught, Rebecca shakes her head, falling into the porch swing lifelessly. “Miles… Sweetheart… Do you… Do you know what you’re asking of me? To give you up? Sweetheart, you’re… You’re the only bright spot in my life… I love you.” she chokes out, body shaking in hysterics.

He sits down next to her, hugging into her. “I love you too mom… You were there when dad wasn’t… You showed me the love and care I never got from him. But… I need this. I need… I need to be a part of this family. This is where I belong. I’ve never been happier in my life, and… I wanna be a big brother to these kids. I wanna be a son to a father that wants me, and.. . Make them proud.” Miles exclaims, burying his face into his mother’s shoulder.

Gently, Rebecca touches her son’s face, wiping away a fresh set of tears. “Miles… Y…You’re crying. You… You never cry…” she laughs bluntly.

Miles sniffs, shaking his head. “Cuz I’m scared. I don’t wanna leave. Because… I.. I love…” he says, raising his head, staring directly at Geoff. “I love my dads. And… My brothers.” he finishes, smiling.

Rebecca tilts her head. “Your brothers?” she asked curiously.

Then, almost on cue, Gavin rushes outside the house. “BRUV! BRUV!” he shouts, putting himself in between Miles and his mother. “Bruv! You’re not going away are you?! Ray says your daddy came today and wanted to take you away! You can’t leave! You can’t! You’re my bruv!” he shouts, hugging Miles’s neck tightly.

Michael exits out of the house at a more reasonable pace, walking slowly towards them. He pulls on Rebecca’s sweater, getting her attention. “Mrs. Luna… Miles has gotta stay. Ok? P… Pretty please? He helps me with homework and pokemon. And I like him.” he chimes in quietly.

Proudly, Geoff smiles, chuckling. “Those… Would be his brothers.” he comments, leaning against the railing.

Rebecca smiles gently, exchanging glances back and forth between each of the small children. She remains silent for several minutes, finally sighing as she turns to her son once more. “Miles… I expect you to come visit me often. I’m still your mother, and will meddle in your life until the day I die! But most importantly, you still have to keep your grades up, or I’m sure Mr. Ramsey will be FAR more strict than I ever was.” she says wistfully.

Geoff nods emphatically, winking at the boy.

"Mom?" Miles forces out, smiling.

His mother stands from the porch, grabbing Michael’s hand. “We’ll work out your adoption later, there’s a lot to discuss, and twice as much paperwork. But… For now, I do believe there’s a party for your mini-clone? Come along now, it’s rude to be late!” Rebecca stops, turning back around to face her son. “Miles… Miles Ramsey. It just… Won’t sound right… For a while.” she utters in a far off voice.

-

"Oh goodness! That would make for an exciting day!" Caiti exclaims, setting the dining table alongside Jack with party plates and forks. Caiti was in an elegant sweater, dressed incredibly formal for an otherwise casual company.   
He nods, shaking his head. “I’d say. But in the end, I think everything will work out just fine. His mother’s a sensible woman, and would do anything for him. Once she hears the story, there shouldn’t be a problem convincing her. We’ll just… Need to fenangle some of the legalities with the HomeHunters.” Jack said, sighing loudly.

Caiti grinned, raising a single finger in the air. “Article IX. Candidacy Qualifications outside of Governmental Agencies or Situation-Specific Placements. If there is a need for any child to be placed into HomeHunter custody from the general public, that child can volunteer for placement, provided a legitimate documented need, custodial approval, HH Director and Board approval, regulatory agency approval, and that budgetary funds for said child do not come from governmental accounts reserved for the foster placement program.” she recites nearly word-for-word.

Impressed, Jack claps several times. “Impressive! I see our Director has been doing some light reading?” he says, in a bright voice.

"Though technically, if they would just report the threat of child abuse, he’d qualify for the regular program and save us weeks of paperwork and budgetary hurdles. Speaking of which, why ARE you letting Mr. Luna get away? I’d think you two would want someone like him off the streets." she asked, crossing her arms.

Closing his eyes, Jack groans. “Geoff wants me to trust him on this and let Kyle go on this one, since he didn’t actually slug the kid. Plus, he’s got a hunch that Mr. Luna really cares about Miles, maybe… Just a bit too much. And one thing I’ve learned after living with the man for twenty plus years? You trust his hunches!” he explains, glancing back at Caiti.

She shrugs, touching him gently on the shoulder. “Whatever you say! It’s between Miles and you guys what you end up doing. I trust you Jackie! You’re a good man who knows what he’s doing, and loves his kids. I love that about you. Well, I love everything about you, really.” she chimes, smiling gleefully.

With a lingering touch against his shoulder, she blushes at her admission, turning her head away. Just as she removes her hand, Jack catches it, grasping it tightly.

Jack bites his lower lip, shaking his head. “C…Caiti? There was… More I wanted to talk about today, and why I… Wanted you to come over. Can we talk about… Us?” he stutters nervously.

Looking up at the man, Caiti stutters. “U..Us?” she asks meekly. Her heart flutters, a gentle smile crossing her face.

Smiling, Jack pulls a seat out from the table, ushering her to sit. She does, and Jack stands behind her. “Or uh… If “Us” could… Be a thing?” he says, rubbing his hair crazily. “Caiti… You are, without a doubt, one of the most amazing women I’ve ever met in my life. You’re caring, kind, beautiful, and brilliant. Far more brilliant than anyone I have ever met. I… I really like you. Would you ever… Possibly consider… Maybe just..” Jack mutters, losing his composure as his sentence drags on.

Popping up from the table, Caiti raises herself on her tippy-toes, leaning into Jack for a kiss. She wraps her hands around his neck, clutching him tightly.   
Jack’s eyes shoot open, body rigid from the surprising show of affection. After the initial shock, his face and muscles finally relax into it. He closing his eyes, returning the kiss. Leaning down for Caiti’s ease of access, he wraps his hands around her back, pulling her into a hug.

They share a long kiss, Caiti being the one to finally break away, but not leaving his arms. “Jack… I like you too. A lot.  Maybe even..  Love you. Ever since that first lunch we shared, I always enjoyed spending time with you. Our “meetings” are the highlight of my week, and… I just love everything about you. But I always worried… People would talk, assume I got this job dishonestly… Or.. That you didn’t feel the same way.” she says, with a bright grin on her face.

Elated, Jack flashes a bright white smile. “This is… Great! So you’d…”

Caiti shakes her head. “But Jack… Now is not the right time for… “Us”.” she replies, looking downward..

Scrunching his face, Jack looks at her in disappointment.

She looks back up, stepping away from his embrace. “Think about it. If we started dating, becoming an.. “Item”, what would happen to the company if we ever… Broke up? Got in a tiff? It might affect our work, or even hurt the kids. I don’t want to risk that. I love this job, this program, and this family too much… Everything here is too important to not put my everything into it. Romance can wait. At least until… There’s more of us.” she explains, returning to the place settings, wiping a tear from her face.

Jack re-joins her, placing filled glasses of ice at each setting. His face is downtrodden, but attempting a smile. “I suppose you’re right. You’re always right.” he mustered, sadly, but with a smile.

Popping up once more, Caiti pecks a quick kiss on his cheek. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be… Cuddle buddies working late together? Go see a movie once in a while? Be… Good friends until we can be something… Deeper?” she giggles, watching as Jack blushes again.

A doorbell rings, and Caiti walks slowly past him, going to answer it, walking with a skip in her step.

Once Jack was alone, like a gopher, Ryan raised his head up from the kitchen alongside Kerry, who was raising a small notebook. 6.5/10 was written on a page, with a frowny face drawn at the bottom. “Smooth dad. Real smooth!” Ryan chuckled, clapping his hands.

Kerry tilted his head. “When I write this in the book, should I make Jack more macho, swinging her off her feet and into a passionate kiss like Favio, or… Should I do as-is?” he ponders, turning to Ryan.

Ryan shrugs. “Meh, go for the truth. I think it’s cool this is how they finally started dating. By… You know, NOT dating!” he quips, waggling his eyebrows.

Crossing his arms, Jack stares them both down, tapping his foot. “Ok you little shits, HOW long have you been hiding there?!” he yells quietly under a hushed breath.

Pulling out a pen, Kerry starts writing various notes on his papers. “Long enough to know I’ve finally got a good romance subplot waiting in the wings. Or maybe that should wait until book two…” he says curiously.

Jack grabs an unopened package of plastic plates, chucking it at them, who dodge immediately. They both exchange humorous glances, snickering to each other, running past him quickly. Ryan slaps him on the back as he rushes by towards the living room. “It’s about time! But dammit, couldn’t you have waited another week or two? I lost the betting pool!” he whispers comically, re-joining Kerry in the living room.

Re-entering the room from the side door, Miles walks back in alongside Geoff, Mrs. Luna and his other children. Geoff pats Miles on the back. “Jack.. Rebecca and I talked it over. And… Well..” he stops, looking down at Miles with a smiling face.

Miles laughs to himself. “Hi… Dad.” he mutters bashfully.

Walking to Jack, Rebecca sighed as she hugged him tightly. “Thank you for everything Jack, and for taking care of my son as well as you have in these horrible times. If I’d had any idea what my soon-to-be-served-hardcore-ex-husband had done… I would have never allowed for it to…” she stops, composing herself.

Jack hugged her back. “It’s ok. We’ll work everything out. And everything’s gonna be just fine. I promise.” he says, comfortingly.

Returning into the room was Caiti, joined by Barbara, in an incredibly casual hoodie and jeans. The two women watch Rebecca lose it slowly, sobbing into his shoulder. “Hey guys! I miss anything good?” Barbara asks, with a large present under her arms.   
________________________

Ray’s impromptu birthday party had been the perfect distraction for all parties involved.

The smiles on the children as they played together, ate way too much pizza, and played party games made everyone, if just for a moment, forget their various worries.

Gus had brought several large boxes of deep dish pizzas from Austin’s best pizza parlor, Joel made a special chocolate pie in the shape of a goomba, and Ryan had rigged the PC to play video game theme songs for background music. Even Cameron made his way to the party, providing a large bowl of homemade punch. The decorations were basic party-fare, but in a bright variety of colors suitable for a kid’s party.

But after the food was eaten, the games played, and everyone winding down as the evening moved on, groups paired off, a jovial spirit enveloping the the home. The friends, family, and extended relatives spoke with one and other, using their time together to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Miles and his mother sat side by side, watching eagerly as Ray tore open their hastily purchased, yet delicately wrapped present. Unhooking the box, he pulls out a plastic-wrapped game. His face shined, turning to face the two with a bright white smile. “Kingdom Hearts II! THANK YOU!” he yelled, running up to share a hug between the mother and son.

Rebecca rubs his hair gently. “It was my pleasure sweetie. Miles told me how much you loved the first one, and that your brothers loved watching you play it! Make sure and play nice, ok?” she says kindly.

Turning to Miles, he hops on the boy’s lap, hugging his neck tightly. “Thank you Miles!” he yelled. Releasing the hug, Ray grins just a few inches from his face. “I’m glad you’re gonna live with us forever. Don’t tell anyone, but you’re my FAVORITE.” he whispers loudly, hugging him once more on the chest.  
“Aww!” squeals Rebecca, pulling a camera out of seemingly thin air, and snapping several photos of the two.

-

Sitting at the kitchen bar, the elder Eberles both exchanged pleasant smiles. “They’re all such nice children. So polite, well behaved, and respectful! I can’t believe what a wonderful family my daughter has made for herself! It’s not quite what I’d envisioned for her, but… I suppose such lovely children would make any home better.” Caroline muttered brightly, sipping from a plastic cup of punch.

Cameron grinned, swinging around with Gavin hanging off his shoulder. “Yeah, they’re great kids. The lot of them.” he says happily.  
Joesph turns his head around. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure. I’m Joseph Eberle, Kara’s father.” he says, offering his hand to Cameron.   
He takes it, shaking his hand. “Cameron. Cameron Collins, I’m like Gavin’s older brother.” Cameron explains, pointing to the playful blonde on his back, smiling with all his teeth and waving.

Caroline tilts her head. “Collins… Collins… Why does that name sound so familiar… OH! Kara! Didn’t you have a friend named Collins? The one from high school?” she asked, yelling across the room and waving.  
Barbara and Kara frown, walking past the other party guests, both nodding solemnly. “Yeah mom, that was…. Mishi. She was the girl who passed away before I moved out. She was my best friend.” Kara said darkly, shaking her head.

Mouth agape, Cameron stares at the women in disbelief. “You… You knew my sister? Mishi?” he exclaimed, pointing at them. As he raised his hands, Gavin dropped from his back to the floor with a loud thud.  He failed to register it, the boy groaning loudly on the floor.

Turning to each other, Barbara and Kara exchanged surprised glances. Eventually, Barbara holds her hand up to her mouth, gasping. “Oh my god. KARA! That’s him! That little kid! The foster brother we watched for Mishi’s parents! That was YOU!? Little Cammy Garcia! Oh my god, I didn’t even recognize you! You’re all grown up!” she screamed, pointing at him.

Cameron points to Kara, dropping his jaw. “You’re the girl, Mishi’s friend! The blonde who cut her hair in front of her mom! That performance made me want to go into drama! It was like a scene out of a movie! I never forgot that as long as I lived!” he shouted, gasping.

The three of them exchanged blank stares, wordlessly being brought back into a cloud of memories.

-

Off in the corner of the room, Michael was sat next to Lindsay, the two playing with Edgar. Giggling as the dog licks her face, Michael peels the now child-sized pup off her. “Stop that Edgar! Don’t be mean to Lindsay!” he said, only half-scolding the dog.

The dog whines at the order, Lindsay patting him on the head. “Awww… It’s ok Edgar. I don’t mind! You were just giving me kisses! It means you like me!” she says funnily.

Michael scoots closer to her, placing the dog to lay over both of their laps. “He’s a good boy.” he says happily, petting behind the dog’s ears.   
Lindsay nods, scratching the puppy’s back. “Hey Michael. Can I ask you a question?” she says, frowning slightly.

He nods, waiting patiently for her question.

Huffing, she pets Edgar on the end of the tail. “How come you asked Mia to come sit with us today? Did you… Like her, like her?” Lindsay asks, blushing.

Pointing towards Gavin, he shrugs. “Gavin thought she was pretty and liked her. So I wanted them to be friends. She was nice. But I don’t like her, like her. Cuz Gavin does.” Michael says, quickly returning to petting the dog as an annoyed Edgar begins to groan.

Face relieved, Lindsay breathes easily. “Ok, good!” she said brightly.

Michael looks up at her curiously. “Why?” he asked.

Giggling, Lindsay moves in more closely to Michael, maneuvering her head right beside his. In a single, swift movement, she pecks a light kiss on his cheek. “Because I like you, like you!” she said confidently.

He touches his cheek, on the spot she’d kissed. Speechless, Michael just looks back to her, with a shocked, blushing stare.

She grabs his hand, holding it tightly. “You’re my best friend. I like playing with you, and you’re the nicest boy I know, cept my daddy Jay. So… Do you like me, like me too?” Lindsay asked directly.

Michael gulps. “Uh… I guess… You’re fun… And pretty. And nice. So yeah… I like you, like you too. I guess.” he says bashfully, looking away from her. After a few moments of silence, he turns back. “We don’t gotta kiss again do we? Cuz that’s gross girly stuff.” he said, sticking his tongue out in disgust, making a icky noise with it.

Nodding, Lindsay laughs. “Ok! No more kissing! How about a hug instead?” she asked sweetly.

He nods, and both of them extend their arms, motioning towards each other. But before they could meet in the middle, a solid body stops them. Sliding behind the two children, from where he’d been hidden Joel places his head between them, looking towards Michael, gazing at him darkly. “And what exactly are your intentions with my daughter?” he says harshly, pulling his arm around the boy threateningly.

“JAY!” Lindsay screamed, punching him on the arm as hard as she could.  
Edgar pops his head up, growling in Joel’s general direction.

-

“I’ve got it!” Barbara yelled loudly from Geoff’s bedroom. Spotting the missing wal-mart bag with the plastic forks, she walks over to his desk, snagging it quickly. But before she turns away, her eyes glance over a handwritten letter. Curiosity overpowering her hand, she picks it up, recognizing Geoff’s unintelligible scrawl.

Dear Griffy,  
I’m glad you wrote. It gives me a chance to do something that my son made me think about today. Something I never realized.  
Griffy, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for putting you through what I did. I was immature, childish, and too caught up with all the bad in my life to see anything but you.   
You were right. And I’m glad that you did what you did. It’s because of you that I was forced into growing up, and because of you that I have my current life.  
I’d love to see you. I’d love to be friends again, and maybe even more than that at some point. Because even after all these years, I still love you. I promise that my focus in life right now is with my children and my company, and that nothing is going to stand between me and making their dreams come true.   
Hey listen, if you want, come at Christmas. Burnie and Elena will be there (you remember Burnie? The AV kid!), and we’re having a big get together. You can meet my family and friends. And they can meet you.  
Love,   
Geoff

Barbara re-scanned the letter dozens of times, frowning more and more each time she read it. Her chest falls, sighing loudly. “Today is just not my day… I see Mishi’s brother again, digging up ol’ memories, and now…” she pouts.

“Barbie?” Geoff muttered, entering the room. He grinned, catching her red-handed. “Reading my personal mail? Barbie, I’m shocked!” he chuckles, not even caring about the invasion of privacy.

She places the letter back down on the table, looking away from him. “So who’s Griffy? Sounds like she’s… Important to you.” Barbara asked in a lowered voice.

Leaning against the door-frame casually, he sighed. “Old girlfriend. I knew her since I was five, all the way up to my senior year of high school. We were inseparable, and she was the love of my life. I pulled a stupid move and drove her away from here. Well, anyway. She wrote me, and wants to see me. And I wanna see her. To.. Make things right.” Geoff explained, running his fingers through his hair.

Barbara smiles, watching a smile erupt on his face. “Oh. She must be really special then.” she mutters, gripping the plastic bag around her hand tightly.  
Geoff smiled. “Yeah. I… I can’t wait to see her again. She’s the reason why I’m here today. She’s.. She’s my angel.” he said dreamily, sighing.

Walking towards him, Barbara places her hand gently on his shoulder. “Hun, trust me on this, and take a woman’s advice. Write that letter in a nicer handwriting, maybe get Caiti to help you out. And go spend five bucks on a fancier paper, that notebook shit is pathetic! Then press it in a rose or one of her favorite flowers, and send it air mail with fragile handling for extra care. Oooh! And send a photo of you and your kids, she’d probably love it! And write their names on the back so her introductions are easier! Because you KNOW the kids will make it hard on her!” she said, patting him on the shoulder.

His face grins deviously, slapping his own face. “That’s brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that!” Geoff shouted to himself, letting out one of his hearty laughs.   
Barbara rolls her eyes, slapping him on the back of the head. “Because you’re an idiot. But a cute one.” she snickers, grinning.

Geoff shot out his hand to her, for a shake. “Thanks Barbie. It’s a shame you don’t get out here more often. You mean a lot to us, you know?” he said, smiling a crooked little smile.

She takes his hand, shaking it. “You guys… Mean a lot to me too. More than you know. And maybe I could try and… Get out here more often. But, seriously, good luck Geoff. I hope everything works out for the best.” Barbara says perkily, releasing his handshake.

"BARBIE! What’s taking so long?! It’s time for pie! We need the forks! I’m hungry!" Michael says, poking his head in the room.

"Yeah! We’re all hungry!" Lindsay says, walking hand in hand with Michael. Between them was Edgar, licking his chops hungrily.

_______________________

Standing outside the HomeHunter home, across the street was a group of five individuals, sitting around a large, long since dead tree. Rain fell through the branches, but avoided their bodies completely, all of the them dry as a bone.

Isaac grins, crossing his legs for a more comfortable position on the middle branches. “Jesus, it took us long enough to get all these people together. Think we can all agree on moving into phase 2?” he asked, flinging his head backwards to Allison.

Michael’s mother was staring longingly into the home, having become a mess since witnessing her son’s first kiss. “Oh whatever. Michael has everything he needs right now. I’m not opposed…” she stammers, squealing as Michael and Lindsay hold hands running away from Joel, their dog biting the older man’s rear-end.

“I’m not as convinced. Shouldn’t we wait for Griffon? She’s an important tie linking all this together.” says Margaret, leaning against the trunk of the tree. 

Edgar, sat upon the damp grass, sighs. “Miss Anderson is flighty. We can’t trust her to be an integral part of their. Misha may have used her to set all of this in motion, but…Outside of that, we can’t be sure if she and Geoffrey will reconcile. I agree with Isaac. It’s time to move on.” he says, rubbing his bald head worriedly.

Floating down from the tallest point of the tree, Misha lands in front of Edgar and Isaac, holding her hands together. “Please! You have to wait just a little longer! Griffon… We need her. Geoff needs her! These kids need her!” she pleads, looking at them desperately.

Isaac rubs his hair, sighing. “I can start Gavin on phase II. It’ll take a few weeks, and should give Griffon time to decide. If by then she hasn’t made up her mind… We move on without her.” he suggests reluctantly.

Misha heaves a sigh of relief, running down the length of the grassy yard at a brisk pace. “Take care of Cam for me tonight Allison! I’m gonna go work on Griffon!” she yells, disappearing into the night.


	24. Jack's Light

The HomeHunters found December rushing past them after the events involving Miles. Much to his word, Kyle vacated the region, running off to another outage as fast as he could. In turn, Miles retrieved what little remained in his original room that he needed, and Rebecca paid for slight renovations to his new home. Bunk beds hastily thrown together with shoddy craftsmanship, his own dresser, and he and Ryan split closet space for their nicer clothes. There had been a minor bit of awkwardness the first few days explaining the situation to everyone, despite the constant support from his family. But eventually, the days passed one after another, and the first semester of school had finally come to an end.

All was “normal” with the world again.

“Thanks for the ride Mrs. Luna! Thanks Kara!” yelled a muffled Ryan’s voice, from the front yard.

Geoff raised his head up from the paper, hearing the front door jingle with the sound of keys. Soon enough, the door opens up, with Ryan and his friends piling into the living room. They shared a similar, distraught, broken expression.  Their hair was damp with fresh rain.

“Dear god, please kill me! Kill me now! I just.. I don’t even.” Miles exclaimed, face-planting into the living room couch. Still in his heavy athletic coat, backpack slung on his back, Miles groaned loudly into a muffled pillow.

Geoff chuckled, ruffling the boy’s hair. “Semester tests over? How’d you do?” he asked.

Kerry planted on the floor, flinging it into a pile in the corner. “Mr. Tate’s pre-AP exam was ridiculous. The calculators did NOTHING. We might as well have just used our fingers and toes!” he shouted, in an angry tone betraying his usual calmness.

JJ crashed on another couch, kicking his still muddy feet rudely on the coffee table. “You said it. Jesus… That man is a cruel bastard.” he agreed, cranking the volume on his headphones to their max.

Taking a seat next to JJ, Arryn and her guide dog take up the remainder of the couch. With her cane, she smacks JJ on the head gently. “If you didn’t spend so much time on that website, you might have had time to study! It’s all your own fault!” she replied.

Hopping from the couch, he dives for his bag, pulling out a laptop. “That reminds me! I need to check the traffic!” he yelled, in a considerably brighter mood.

Walking back from the kitchen, soda in-hand, Ryan sits on the coffee table. “”Where’s the kids?” he asked, turning back to Geoff.

His father smiled. “Cameron took Gavin to see his new place and talk about something. Ray and Michael are next door, playing games with Dan and Joel with the rain let up. Jack’s off dealing with Miles’s… Uh, well, you know.” Geoff said, silencing himself quickly.

“Miles’s what?” JJ asked, eyes still planted to his computer screen.

Pulling himself up, Miles sighed. “My adoption. They know.. Geo-… Dad. I told em’ already. Don’t sweat it.” he murmured quietly.

Geoff grinned. “Ok then. Well, Jack’s off with your mother, getting the last of the paperwork sorted out. We’ll go to the courthouse the week before Christmas to make everything official. Getting you into HomeHunters after that is just a formality. Caiti’s already working fervently on that regard.” he says, patting the boy’s leg.

A loud sigh escapes Kerry’s lips. “Good. I’ll sleep a whole lot better knowing you’re away from that dick.” he scathes, gripping his fist tightly.

Agreeing, Arryn nods. “I still can’t believe all that really happened… Miles, I’m so sorry…” she says sadly. Her dog whines loudly at her side.

JJ rolls his eyes. “Seriously, what a douchebag. I’d sue his ass off.” he says harshly, still fiddling away with his computer.

A small smile formed on his face, light returning to his eyes. “Guys, it’s fine. I get to stay here, got a bunch of cool brothers, new dads, a new life, and I feel GREAT! I’m having fun! Things can only get better, right?!” Miles boomed, raising his arm high into the air. “BANZAI!” he screamed.

Geoff pulled him into a headlock, rubbing his head playfully. “Glad you feel that way kiddo. Cuz we’re JUST getting started. Come this time next year, we’ll have twice as much fun! Or you’ll hate my guts. I’m not sure yet. Hormones are a real bitch.” he yelled happily.

The group laughs to themselves, everyone shifting in their seats momentarily.  
“Holy shit.” JJ murmured, pulling his headphones off his head. His gaze was stuck back onto his laptop.

Everyone turned to him, watching his shocked expression.

Ryan tilts his head. “Dude, what’s up?” he asked, moving closer to him.

With an unbelievable grin, he laughs uncontrollably. “GUYS. We just hit 1,000 users on our forums! Someone on twitter promo’d our site, and we’re getting new users by the DOZENS. People like our stuff!” JJ yells incredibly.

Dropping his jaw, Miles shot behind JJ immediately, looking at his screen. “You serious? No way!” he yelled, tracing the laptop’s screen with his fingertips to confirm the numbers.

Kerry joined them, pushing Miles out of the way. “Oh wow! We’ve actually got people posting stuff! Click on that one!” he yelled- pointing to a thread.

_Forum Thread: HOLY SHIT THIS SITE IS AWESOME_   
_User: TheVAAAAG_   
_best guides on the interwebz eVARR!!! no useless shit and only has stuff we need!! not a clusterfuck like gamefaqs._

Miles laughed. “Cool! Who promo’d us? I mean, we’re not THAT great. We’ve got like… Less than 15 games on there right now.” he admitted.

Scrolling through his twitter feed, JJ shrugs. “Dunno. Someone called FadedEd. Bunch of people retweeted him. He’s just like… Some old podcast geezer. No idea how he found us.” JJ remarked. “Doesn’t matter though. What IS important is striking while the iron is hot!” he said darkly, rubbing his hands together.

“Uh oh. That sounds like “I-have-an-evil-plan-and-am-about-to-ruin-someone’s-day”l JJ. I should go.” Arryn says, pretending to grab her things hastily.

He rolls his eyes. “Nothing TOO evil. I’m just saying we give the people what they want! Like this! There’s like a dozen threads like them.” JJ says, pointing to the screen.

_Forum Thread: Video Guides?_   
_User: SoRaRox2_   
_hey guys, cool site. I saw where you’ve got a spot for videos. when can we get video guides and tips? COD4 achievement guide? Assasin’s Creed feathers? Stuff like that?_

JJ turned to Miles. “Dude, do you know how to make video stuff from video games?.” he asked.

Miles shrugged. “No idea. But I’ll figure it out!” he says, rushing to his bag.

Cutting him off, Ryan grins. “You need something like a Dazzle. Something that’ll play the output of video and audio footage on a computer that we can record. Or an equivalent that does it through a TV. Or you emulate and screen capture.” he explains.

They all turn to him in shock from his technical knowledge.

“What? I like computers. I wanted to record some stuff, so sue me!” Ryan retorted, rolling his eyes. “Doesn’t matter though. We’d have to have a special card for our computers. Dazzle stuff is like a hundred bucks. Then there’s cords, editing software, and hard drives for the space. All kinds of stuff we don’t have. Too expensive, let’s not worry about it. Stick with what we’ve got.” he explained.

Geoff perked his ears up at that.

JJ snorted. “I’ll just ask my mom for that shit, no problem. I can probably get it after New Years. Make me a list.” he said, smirking.

Rolling her eyes, Arryn sighs in disgust. “Sure she will. Especially after you tell her what you scored on your Pre-AP History exam. That was SHAMEFUL.” she says, crossing her legs smugly.

“Oh, that reminds me. You never did tell me how you did on your tests!” Geoff exclaimed, turning his attention back to his two children.

Ryan smiled. “All A’s!” he said proudly.

Head dropping, Miles groaned loudly. “A in history. B in science. C in math. A in PE. A in Computer Science. B in English. B in Art.” he bemoaned.

Geoff nodded, smiling slightly. “Awesome work Ryan! Not bad Miles. We’ll get you some help in math if you want it. But I’m sure your mind was elsewhere this week, naturally. You’ll pick yourself up soon, I know you were doing A work before all the shit hit the fan.” he says, standing up from his seat. He moves around behind them, patting them both on the shoulders. “I’m proud of you both.” Geoff said, smiling widely.

Miles’s shoulders relax, sighing in relief. “Thanks Dad…” he said quietly, closing his eyes, body devoid of stress.  
___________

The Luna household was quiet in the afternoon rain. In the tea room, the table was fully set with beverages and small snacks. Sitting across from each other, Jack and Rebecca were sorting through piles of paperwork. Neatly organized, there was still quite a bit left to do.

“How’s he doing Jack?” Rebecca asked, pouring another cup of tea for the two of them. Her face was not its usual perkiness, instead solemn and broken.

Jack smiled, adding sugar to his tea from the bowl between them. “Bad at first, I’m sure you can imagine. Worried about us taking him in, there not being enough room for him, and then of course.. He was worried about you. Poor kid went through a lot of anxiety in such a short period of time.” he explained, stirring his team with loud clinks. “But he’s been doing better. Time heals most wounds. It helps when you’ve got your best friend by your side to go through it with. Or I guess we could say his brother now. I know how much that meant for me during my rough times” he says, smiling fondly.

Rebecca drinks her tea. “Oh that’s right. You and Geoffrey have lived together since you were young, haven’t you? Was it a comfort for you to have him all these years?” she asked.

Nodding, Jack smiled fondly. “He brought light into my life. And I to his.” he muttered quietly to himself.

-

_The local orphanage was nothing short of… Clinical. Drab, with pale white walls, hard mattresses and antiquated furniture. The hardwood floors creaked with each step, and the wind roared through the drafty windows._

_Jack Pattillo, barely six, lays quietly on his assigned bed. In a dirty shirt and with ragged unkempt hair, he’d been there less than and hour and already left to fend for himself. Kept away from the other children, he was expected to move in on his own, bathe, and put away his meager possessions before dinner._

_He sat there, lifelessly staring at the floor.  Jack’s face was red and blotchy from tears of his painful home removal into the system.  ”M…Mommy.” he muttered to himself, slinking back into the darkness of his covers._

_“ENOUGH GEOFFREY. We HAVE to change your bandages and disinfect them!” screams a harsh woman’s voice._

_The door to his room swings open, and a small child rushes inside. Slamming the door shut, the boy locks it tightly. “NO! IT HURTS! GO AWAY!” he screams loudly._

_Jack raises his head up, watching as a black haired child backs away from the door. He was shirtless, in a pair of ratty jeans. His back was covered in white bandages, blood pooling through them._

_“GEOFFREY RAMSEY! YOU HAVE BEEN HERE LESS THAN A DAY, AND YOU’RE ALREADY IN BIG TROUBLE! OPEN THIS DOOR IMMEDIATELY!” the scary lady screams, banging on the door loudly._

_He turns around, dashing over to Jack’s bed. Geoff hurls himself under the covers, hiding behind Jack in shared darkness. “SHH.” he ordered venomously._

_The woman tries to force the door open, yelling into it for several minutes. Eventually though, she just kicked it once more. “FINE! JUST STAY IN THERE! GET AN INFECTION FOR ALL I CARE! One less brat we have to deal with!” she screamed._

_Loud steps echo in the hallway as the voice walks away, fuming angrily._

_After a few moments, Geoff pulls himself out of the covers, flinging them to the floor. Looking down upon it, blood was spottily stained all over the sheets. “Thanks for hiding me. Sorry though. I got it all on your bed…” Geoff says, frowning._

_Jack touches his back gently. “You got boo boos?” he asked._

_Geoff nodded. “Uh huh. My daddy whipped me. The mean lady puts medicine on it, and it hurts…” he said, reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out a few swatches of cloth bandages, holding them in front of his body. “But can you help me? Please? It’s all wet and sticky…” he asked politely._

_Without waiting for a reply, Geoff pulls on the side of his bandages, unwrapping them from around his back. Unraveling like a mummy, his back was soon bare, with fresh cuts still bleeding profusely. Geoff hands Jack the bandages. “Wrap them like they were, ok?” he said._

_Jack frowned. “But it’s… Still bleeding… Hold on!” he said, hopping off the bed. Jack runs to a small bag sat upon his makeshift desk, pulling out a large towel. He turned back around. “Lay down, ok?” Jack instructed._

_Doing was he was told, Geoff laid down on the bed. Jack moves to his side, pressing the towel into his back, blotting it slightly._

_“OW!” Geoff screamed, flinging his head around and giving Jack a dark look. “THAT HURT!” he screamed._

_He pulled off the towel, the boys’ back more or less dried for the moment. “Ok. Stand up, hurry!” Jack said, Geoff complying immediately  He wraps Geoff up like a mummy around his torso, tying the end off with a tight knot. “There! All dry!” he said._

_Geoff smiled. “Thanks! Uh… What’s your name?” he asked, curiously._

_“Jack. Jack Pattilo.” he says, taking a seat back on his bed._

_Geoff joins him. “I’m Geoff! Geoff Ramsey! Nice to meet ya! You’re not a meanie like the other boys here. They just tried to hit me. So I like you.” he said._

_Jack didn’t say much, looking away from him in shyness. The two sit in silence, awkwardly sitting next to each other without saying much._

_“So… Are you getting a new home too? The mean ol’ nurse says my mommy and daddy were bad people, so I gotta have new ones.” Geoff says, turning to look at Jack._

_A pained look covers Jack’s face, throwing his head downward. “I…” he mutters._

_"She says everyone here’s a kid with bad mommy and daddies. So I guess you too. Did your daddy hit you too? Or was it your mommy?" Geoff asked, looking at him quizzically._

_His eyes water, shaking his head. “N…No… They weren’t….” he stuttered._

_"My mommy wasn’t bad. She just ran away with daddy. I loved mommy. Mommy gave me bandages and made the boo-boos feel better. And I-" he started, stopping mid-sentence as he watched Jack lose his composure._

_Jack started crying, wiping his tears away. “M…Mommy… I want my mommy! I want my daddy! I don’t wanna be here! I wanna go home! I’ll be good! I promise!” he sobbed, hiccuping loudly._

_A sad look covers Geoff’s face, and he grabs Jack’s hand. “Don’t cry! It’s ok! It’s ok!” he repeats soothingly. When Jack begins to sob even harder, Geoff hops off the bed. Running over to the wall, he turns off the light, leaving only a small lamp to illuminate the room. He rushes over to the additional bed in the room, ripping the sheets and pillows off of it. Geoff jumps back onto Jack’s bed, laying his pillow down next to the other one. “Come on… Let’s go to bed. Sleep makes it go away. Sleep always makes the bad stuff go away.” he says, grabbing Jack by the arm and pulling him to the front of the bed. He lays Jack down on one side, covering him up with a blanket. Geoff lays down next to him, careful not to lay on his back._

_He sniffs, wiping his face and nose on the blanket. “S…S….Sorry… I’m not supposed to cry….” Jack coughs out, sniffing back._

_Geoff grabs his hand, holding it tightly. “I don’t care. You can cry.” he says, scooting closer to the boy._

_Jack shakes his head. “No… Mommy says good boys don’t cry. They don’t talk. They don’t get snotty noses or make noise!” he chokes out._

_His bunk-mate scrunches his face together. “Who cares! Your mommy’s not here! I’m here! And I say I don’t care!” Geoff screams._

_Still sniffing, Jack wipes away more tears. “You… You sure?” he sputtered._

_Geoff scoots closer to the boy, looking at him clearly in the eyes. “Yeah. Cry all you want. Cuz I wanna cry too. I wanted to cry when daddy hit me…” he says firmly. His tough appearance melted, tears running down Geoff’s face as well._

_And so the two sat there, crying with each other as the evening passed. They sat, sobbing with each other, screaming for their parents, pleading with higher powers that be. But soon, the tears subside as the hours pass. The two speak with each other, learning more about their pasts. They open up, telling each and every terrifying detail of their unfortunate lives.  A lighthearted tone does cross their lips, however._

_Jack finally managed to smile, laughing to himself. “And one day… My mommy brought a kitty home. But the kitty poo-pooed on her, and she screamed real loud!” he said happily._

_Geoff snickered under the covers, laughing. “EWW. That’s gross Jackie!” he said, making disgusted noises._

_The door to their room slowly unlocked and rattled. They quickly pretended to be asleep, hushing their laughter and sitting still, fearing the woman’s return._

_"Geoffrey? Jack? Are you still awake?" said a warm, gentlemanly voice._

_They said nothing, still hiding under the covers, holding onto each other. The two cringed as a man in his late thirties dropped onto the bed beside them._

_"Are you two getting along? I hope so… After seeing you two locked in here all night, I figured you might be best suited for each other. So I arranged for the two of you to room together until we find you a new home." the man explains._

_Jack and Geoff poke their head out from under their covers, seeing a man with sandy blonde hair sitting beside them. He wore a proper suit, and had a thick, bushy mustache._

_He smiled, looking down at them. “So you are awake! After all that happened to you today… I’m not surprised.” the man says, extending his hand. “My name is Mr. Edgar Haywood. I run the children’s orphanage here. As nice as it is to make your acquaintance  I’m sorry we had to meet under such circumstances.” he muttered._

_The two climb out of the sheets, sitting on either side of their keeper._   
_Extending his hands, they both take it sheepishly. “Shall we go down for dinner? I’ll explain everything to you myself and introduce you to the other children. And, of course, get Geoffrey a clean shirt.” Mr. Haywood says warmly._

_Geoff looked behind Edgar, staring at Jack questioningly  “You ok? Can we go? I’m really hungry.” he asked, grabbing his stomach._

_Looking down at his own stomach, Jack nodded. “O…Ok.” he admitted sheepishly._

_Edgar stood from the bed, walking hand-in-hand with the two boys, exiting the room and towards the dining quarters._

-

Jack smiled fondly in reminiscence. “I found that… A brother isn’t just someone who you’re related to by blood or by a shared last name. A brother is someone who knows everything about you, for the good or the bad, and will stand by your side when the going gets tough. Geoff was… Geoff was someone I never thought I’d have in my life. Until I had Ryan and the kids, he was the only family I ever knew. We shared everything with each other, and got through a lot of tough times together BECAUSE we were together. We knew what we’d gone through together, and it brought us closer than just about anyone.” Jack said, placing down another empty tea cup on the table.

The rainy weather continued to pelt against the windows, illuminated by the dull orange of a streetlamp.

Jack smiled, raising his head from the ground. “And I see it with them too. Miles and Ryan… They’ve got this… Connection like Geoff and I had. So don’t even worry about him. I hear those two talking all hours of the night, about their lives and families. They’re supporting each other, trying to work through everything they’ve experienced. And… They’re healing.” he says confidently.

Rebecca turned away, gripping her cup tightly. “Good. Good… I’m glad he’s got… Got… Got someone.” she stuttered, covering her face painfully.

“Don’t think he doesn’t love you because he doesn’t talk to you about this.” Jack says plainly.

She shoots her head back to him, tears rolling down her face.  
Jack chuckles. “Kids will always do better with other kids. They don’t trust adults by nature, especially when they’ve been burned. It took us months to get Ryan out of his shell and talking to us candidly about his past. Six months to finally get him to a point where he actually tells us when he wants something of monetary value. My other kids were the same way.” he explains, standing up and walking to her side. Jack grabs her hand, holding it. “Give him time. He’ll come back around to you.” he says.

Nodding, she tried to put on a brave face. “I suppose. Thank you Jack. I do feel better.” Rebecca attempts to say cheerfully.

Jack’s phone vibrated loudly on the table, and he grabs it quickly.

_Geoff_   
_Taking the kids to dinner to celebrate school getting out. You in?_

Staring into the phone, he looked up from it. “Rebecca, we’re going out to dinner for the kids getting out of school. Would you like to join us?” Jack asked politely.

Rebecca gently shook her head. “No… I believe that he needs time alone with his… Family.” she admits sadly.

Jack stood from his table, taking her hand and pulling her upwards. “Nonsense. You’re part of his family too. So come on. Let’s go.” he says, face undeterred.

And after a few moments, she stands up alongside him, walking out of the home without another thought.  
___________

A fifteen minute walk from the HomeHunters neighborhood, Cameron unlocked the door to an apartment complex on the first floor, standing next to Gavin. They were both in heavy coats, Austin having a particularly cold and rainy December. Even two weeks after Ray’s birthday, the weather had been incredibly gloomy, storming all day, every day for elongated periods of time.

Walking into the warm apartment, it was a barren space, devoid of any furniture or personal objects. The house was lined with hardwood flooring, a half-kitchen, a half-bath, and two reasonably sized bedrooms. An open living area had a sleeping bag laid out in front of a laptop, alongside a few duffle bags.

"We won’t be here long, we’ve got to get you back for dinner. Just wanted to show you my new place. .Like it? It’s small, but I think it’s… Homey." Cameron said, pulling off Gavin’s wet coat, and draping it over the kitchen counter to dry.

Gavin runs into the living area, bounding loudly through the house with his squeaky sneakers. “Wow! Cameron, your house is cool!” he yells, running around to explore.

Laughing to himself, Cameron peels of his own coat, making his way behind Gavin. “It’s kind of empty. But my stuff’ll be here after New Year’s and it’ll be a lot nicer. Not that I… Have much. I’m just a substitute until I finish my student teaching next semester. Not much in funds, I’m afraid!” he explained, walking briskly through the home.

Turning a corner into the bedroom hallway, Gavin was standing in the doorway of one of the two bedrooms. The boy’s mouth was agape, staring into room. Standing as the only piece of furniture in the house was a familiar piano from the Free home, with several books lining beside it. 

Cameron grinned, picking him up and into his arms. “That’s Isaac’s piano. Took me months to find someone to get it tuned right after the movers screwed it all up. There wasn’t enough room in your house for it, so I offered a space here where it can be kept safe that you can practice with.” he said, sitting him and Gavin down on the bench. Raising the cover, a set of beautifully polished ivory keys were revealed. “Now… You have a decision to make Gavin. I’ve made a deal with one of my very best friends at school and her father. Their names are Casey and Jeff Williams. They’ve agreed to train you vocally and musically, a lot like Isaac got when he was younger and while he grew up. I asked your dads, they say it’s ok, so… This is my Christmas present to you. If you want it!” he says, watching as Gavin’s face lights up.

"YES YES YES! I WANNA LEARN!" he yelled excitedly, hopping up and down on Cameron’s lap excitedly.

Holding him down, Cameron gives him a dark stare, which silences him immediately. “Gavin, please let me finish. If you’re going to do this, it’s a big commitment, and not something to take lightly. You’d have lessons after school, and they’ll last for several hours at a time. That’s less time you’d have to spend with your brothers and play! Then there’s a keyboard to take home for practice, which is very expensive. I don’t want you doing this, and us spending all this money unless you are VERY sure you want to do it.” he says firmly.

Gavin takes a few moments, scrunching his face in thought. He folds his arms, looking back up at Cameron incredulously. “I wanna learn. I won’t EVER forget to practice. I wanna be the best singer EVER! Just like my bruv!” he shoots back. His determined little voice was unwavering, eyes piercing through Cameron’s skull.

He smiled, hugging him tightly. “Ok then! That’s all I needed to hear! You’ll start after New Years, right before school starts. Sound good?” Cameron asked.

Nodding excitedly, Gavin traces the keys with his fingers, pressing into them softly. “I can’t wait! I’ll get real good, and sing and make everyone real happy at home!” he exclaimed proudly. 

-

Quietly standing in the doorway, Isaac watched as Cameron and Gavin butchered together some form of music out of the keys. Basically playing around, they were laughing and having a good time, making dozens of jokes and enjoying their time together.

Slipping in behind the two most important people in the world, Isaac tries to touch them, phasing through their bodies. They ignore his presence completely, unaware of his existence. He sighs painfully, cursing himself for even attempting. Reaching into his shirt, he retrieves the red rose-shaped pendant hidden beneath his clothes. Isaac carefully removes it from his neck, palming the pendant. 

"Gavin… I grant my greatest gift with you…. A gift that you may use to create a voice that inspires those that surround you. That your words will be an anchor for those to hold upon in their darkest hours. That you become a beacon that brings people together, to see the beauty in life…" he murmured, a soft golden glow surrounding his body.

Gently, Isaac places his hands inside the child’s back. In the span of just a few moments, all warmth exits from Isaac’s body, flowing into Gavin’s. A chill is left in his chest, with a great emptiness left behind. Shirking away dizzily, Isaac steps backwards from them, falling to the floor.

Gavin’s face brightens, with a healthy glow coloring his cheeks. “Mirror… Tell me something… Tell me who’s the loneliest… Of all….” Gavin sang. His voice rang strongly, in a near pitch-perfect harmony. The words were lonesome, saddening, and full of emotion. 

Cameron shifted in his seat, laughing to himself. “Wow! You’re really getting good already, and you haven’t even had your first lesson! Can’t wait to see you with proper training!” he exclaimed loudly. 

Leaning against the wall, Isaac sought his breath fervently. After composing himself, he smiled. “And let phase two… Begin.” he said, in a tone that betrayed Isaac’s usually harmonious voice.

__________________

Rain had let up for only a temporary amount of time. Taking the opportunity, Joel grabbed the boys and took them outside to let off some steam. Trapped inside for the better part of the month, the children were more than eager to take him up on the offer. The grass was damp, muddy, and slick, but the kids wore boots to have a better grip on the dirt. 

"READY… SET…. HUT!" Joel screamed, rearing his arm back, football in hand. Michael and Ray charged towards him, tackling his legs as hard as their little legs could carry them. Unphased, he chuckled. "GET READY DAN!" he yelled, chucking the football in a clean spiral. 

It flew through the air and across their backyard, landing in the boy’s arms cleanly. The boy turned around, splashing in the muddy end of the backyard.  "TOUCHDOWN!" Dan yelled, spiking the football into the ground and cheering loudly.

Michael growled, folding his arms. “No fair! You’ve got Grandpa Joel! I’ve got Ray! And Ray stinks!” he yelled.

Making a disgusted face, Ray sticks his tongue out at the boy, mocking him.   
Joel laughed. “Ok… Ok… Fair enough. Having an athletic Adonis like myself on anyone’s team is downright criminal, I agree. 

Kara hops up from back porch, grabbing a discarded, worn dodge-ball by their steps. “Why don’t you guys grab the ball and play a little soccer? Kick it in the trash can for points! Most points win!” she says quickly. 

“Ok Mommy!” Dan says, running up and grabbing the ball. Michael drops the empty metallic trash can to the ground, and the three of them gather around Dan. 

Michael grins deviously. “I’m gonna win Dan!” he yelled, kicking the ball immediately as it touches the ground. 

Dan dashes to grab it, missing the ball entirely, dropping himself into the mud, staining the bottom of his shirt with a lout splat.

Dribbling the ball, Michael makes his way to the goal, kicking it hard. The ball misses the can, rebounding off the backyard fence and catapulting clear across the yard. “RATS!” he yelled, stomping the ground angrily.

"I GOT IT!" Dan yelled, picking himself off the ground, wiping the mud from his hands onto his worn out jeans.

-

"I GOT IT!" Dan yelled, running after the wild ball that slammed against the alleyway between the two homes. 

Unbeknownst to the boy, Isaac Free was leaning right against the house, only an inch or so away from the ball. He missed him completely, not registering the man’s presence at all as he nears. “Daniel… Gavin’s best friend. Do you know how much he cares for you? Almost as much as he cares for his own brothers. Had Michael not been blessed with his own fade, he might have received this. But… There are few else who I would trust with this.” he says, reaching out to touch Dan. Isaac grinned. “I gift unto you my natural talents. May they grant you a swift step, a strong heart, unfailing determination, and the ability to protect those nearest to you, always.” he whispered, gently touching Dan’s back as he bent down to pick up the ball. Much like before, warmth exited his body, leaving him cold and empty. His legs were wobbly, and Isaac fell to the ground, collapsing unknowingly behind the boy. 

Dan stretches as he raised back up, ball in hand. Walking and phasing through Isaac’s body, he rushes back to re-join his friends. “OK Michael! Try and catch me!” he yelled, tossing the soccer ball to the ground. He kicked it gently, but quickly gained a fast momentum. Weaving in and out of Gavin’s two brothers expertly, Dan made a final kick to the ball, slamming it into the garbage pail with a new-found force. “GOAL!” he yelled loudly. 

Michael and Ray both groaned, exchanging nervous looks.

"Oh wow! You’re having a kick about! My bruv did that all the time, and he was REALLY good! Can I play?" Gavin hollered, racing out of his backdoor in a winter coat, Cameron close behind.

Weakly, Isaac turned to his side, watching Gavin join Dan. He smiled gently, seeing Dan retrieve the plastic kickball. 

"Sure! Come on Gavin! You can be on my team! We’ll start over too so it’s fair!" he said happily. And so the four lined up, with the ball in the middle of their backyard. "GO!" Dan yelled, dashing to the ball, and kicking it immediately out from under Michael. He passes it to Gavin, who dribbles it for only a few feet before he trips over himself, crashing to the ground face-first with an audible thud into the mud. Ray seizes the opportunity, and starts driving the ball in the opposite direction, only to have Dan steal it from under his feet.

"HEY!" Ray exclaimed, while Dan dashes down the field with the ball, kicking it as hard as he could into the metal trash can once more.

"GOAL!" Dan shouted, running over to help pick Gavin up from the ground.  He wipes the mud from Gavin’s face, laughing at him.

A small round of appluase comes from the back door, with Kara and Joel watching from the back porch. 

Gavin smiled. “Wow Dan! You’re really good at that!” he exclaimed, trying to wipe off all the remaining mud from his body.

Kara leans herself over the rail. “YEAH! You should play soccer Dan! It’ll be fun!” she shrieked quickly.

"OR FOOTBALL! You can sure catch the ball!" Joel iterated quickly, shooting Kara a dirty look.

As the two adults begin to argue, the children are already playing another round with Dan running circles around the others.  Isaac laughed to himself. 

"So how does it feel? Giving up a part of your soul? Especially parts of you that were so important to you? Your voice and musical talents… Your athletics… Parts of you that were so important… It just looked horrendously painful, and you’re a little paler than usual." said Margaret, curled up with her knees to her chest, appearing beside Isaac. 

He sighed. “Leaves you feeling hollow. Tired. And just… Generally terrible. Like there’s this giant gaping hole in your chest that wasn’t there before.” Isaac muttered, pulling himself up to a sitting position, leaning against the house. “But… I’ll manage. It’s for the greater good. For both of them. And… For the future.” he says in a strained tone.

"GOAL!" yelled Dan again, after a long range kick from halfway across the backyard nailed into the goal effortlessly.  

Margaret and Isaac laughed at the sight.

"GOOD GOD JOEL.  Why are my kids covered in mud!?  We’re dropping Ryan’s friends off and going out to dinner!" Geoff exclaimed from the background, chuckling loudly.

"AWW!  I JUST GOT HERE!" Gavin whined, pouting, covered from head to toe in mud.

Geoff pointed to the house.  ”Shower Gavin.  Michael and Ray, go change.  Now kiddos!” he ordered sternly.

The kids whined loudly, but did as they were told, marching into the house with their muddy feet.

___________

Arryn walked into her home, on Miles’s arm, being led by her guide dog. “Paw-Paw! I’m home!” she called out, closing the door behind her.

The Zech home was a lovely one, on the richer side of Austin. The first of two floors were widely open, and completely immaculate. Bright oranges and reds were littered the house, and a glass chandelier hung sparkling overhead. Like their own home, it was decorated for the holidays, with many festive poinsettias lining the staircase and Christmas tree.

"Coming honey! Do you need any help?" Bellowed a deep voice, stepping out of one of the rooms in the hallway. Briskly walking towards them was a near seven foot tall man, with bulging muscles and a military styled buzz cut. He was in a tight fitting tank top, sweating from head to toe. The male was older, likely in his later fifties or early sixties, but in incredibly good shape for his age.

Dropping his face, Miles cowered before the man’s fierce presence. Arryn, however, continued to pull him into the house. “I got it dad, Miles helped me in.” She said, finally taking a seat at her couch. Miles nodded to her, maneuvering to make a quick escape. “Dad, you haven’t met Miles yet, have you? He’s the one taking me to the Winter dance.” She explained calmly.  
Bounding towards him, Miles is cut off of escape from Arryn’s dog, who was blocking the front door.

"Ohhh! So this is THE Miles. Well son, get on over here a sec and lemme get a good look at ya!" Her father belted out in a quick southern drawl.

Meekly, Miles turned around, walking towards Arryn’s father and extending his hand. “Hello sir… I’m Miles. Nice… Nice to meet ya.” He stammered out shakily, clearly nervous.

Her father takes the hand, shaking it with the force of a drill instructor. “Well it’s sure nice to finally meet ya! I’m Triston, Arryn’s paw paw. I’ve heard a lot about you! Wanna stay for dinner? Maw-Maw Moira ought to have viddles up any minute!” He asked politely, finally releasing his firm grip.

Massaging his hand behind his back, Miles smiled gently. “I’d love to sir, but I’m afraid my dad’s outside waiting on me. We’re heading out to dinner with my brothers to celebrate our Christmas break. I’m meeting my mom there too, so… I’ve already got plans, sorry.” he explained, bowing before Trison in respect.

"Well, that’s a right shame. Aww well, we’ll getcha in here eventually! Have a good dinner son, and have a safe trip home. That rain is downright crazy!" he exclaimed, pulling Arryn’s dog away from the entrance, and allowing Miles to make his exit.

Once Miles was gone, Trison rubbed the back of his head. “Arryn… Sweetie… He seems like a nice boy. But does he… Know?” he whispered quietly, watching from the curtain as the boy hopped into a van, getting soaked along the way.

Arryn turned her head away. “Yeah Paw-Paw… He knows I’m blind. I think that’s… Hard to miss.” she says gently, gripping her knees tightly.

Trision swung around, folding his arms. “Young lady, you know what I mean. Don’t be short with your Paw-Paw.  You know how I feel bout’ that sass.” he says firmly, chastising the girl.

She sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t even like thinking about it, let alone talk about it with other people. And… Miles has his own heartache he’s dealing with right now. Why bother him with mine? Besides, it’s not that important he knows…” she explained halfheartedly.

Her dog leaps up into her lap, nuzzling her face gently.

Triston plops himself into a nearby easy chair, shaking his head. “Sweetie… You need to tell someone. You’d feel a lot better to get it off your chest. And your friends will understand.  If they’re as nice as you say they are, they-“

"I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" she shrieked, scaring her dog. It knocked her glasses off in a shocked, tumbling them to the floor. Arryn covers her eyes immediately. "Don’t look at them! Get me my glasses!" she screamed painfully.

Her father did as he was told, retrieving her glasses. He hands them to her, and she returns them to her face immediately. Triston pats her head gently. “Sweetie, don’t be embarrassed around us. We’ve seen them before… You don’t-“

"They’re disgusting! Horrible! A nightmare! Don’t act like they aren’t!" she screamed, standing from her position in a split second. She makes her way in a dash through the familiar layout, not even bothering to utilize her cane.

Triston didn’t both to go after her. Instead, he merely leaned back into the easy chair, sighing painfully as the door to her room slammed shut. “Arryn…” he muttered in a defeated tone.   
___________

JJ’s home was extravagant. On the posh side of Austin, he had a three story home with dozens of rooms and furnished like a palace. With a large lit tree in the foyer acting as a central point, the house was decorated from head to toe in formal Christmas decorations.

“MOM! I’m home!” JJ exclaimed loudly. Walking through the ornate hardwood flooring, each step echoed in the house with a large clop.

Rushing out of the tea room, a woman with bleached blonde hair rushed toward him. She was in a fluffy red sweater and in incredibly gaudy makeup. “Jose! Sweetheart! I’m glad you’re home! There’s some people here I’d like you to meet! They’re your father’s best business partners, and are dying to meet you!” she exclaimed, dragging him towards the room.

JJ stops her, pulling back. “Hey, Mom? Can you wait just a second?” he asked seriously.

Taken aback, she stops mid-walk. “Yes sweetheart?” she asked, in a tone of concern.

Releasing her hand, he sighs.. “Uh… You know how you guys were gonna get me that trip to Europe on Spring Break for Christmas?” JJ said, looking downward. “Can we… Cancel that?” he asked.

Her face did a double take, folding her arms. “Well of course! Anything for you sweetheart! Did you want to go somewhere else?” she asked in relief.

He smiled. “Yeah. Can we just.. Uh.. LIke go to Dallas and do Six Flags or something and let me bring my friends? Miles, Kerry, Ryan and Arryn? I know the airfare would be too much for all of them together, but we could drive to Dallas for the week and it wouldn’t be that bad. I did the math, it should cost about the same, even with the extra room for Arryn.” JJ explained, slinging his laptop bag carefully on the couch.

Mrs. Jones smiled. “JJ! You’ve never wanted friends over before! Now you want to go on a trip with them?  Who ARE these HomeHunters?!” she exclaimed loudly.

JJ rolled his eyes. “Don’t get THAT excited mom, JESUS. They’re just the people I’m doing that website with, and… They just probably won’t get a cool spring break otherwise. And.. We’re busy with Achievement Hunters! We can’t go a week without an update! We’re up to 100 members now!” he says defensively, pushing past her.

"So is this little Jose? My goodness, he’s gotten so big!" said a man’s deep voice.

With a huge grin, and standing next to his father, was a large Hispanic man smoking a thick cigar. He seemed incredibly laid back, wearing a tropical polo, despite the cold and rainy weather.

JJ’s father, by comparison, was in a bright green sweater, sporting a pair of incredibly expensive khaki pants and mirror-shined shoes. His father always wore the height of male business casual fashion. “Jose! This is my long time business partner and dear friend, Emilio Narvaez! It’s thank to him and his family that our little business could grow as large as it has! He’s recently taken over his father’s…. Company… But more importantly, he’s having a branch move out here to Austin!” he exclaimed happily.

Knowingly, JJ extended his hand politely, as he did with most of his father’s “connections”. “Pleasure to meet you sir. I’m Jose, but you can call me JJ if you’d prefer.” he said formally, with an all too faked smile forming across his face

Emilio took several steps, pinching JJ’s cheeks instead of taking his hand.. “Aw… Tom, Linda, you’ve raised such a fine looking boy. Almost a man.” he says pitifully.

Linda laughed. “Oh, he is quite our little man! And such a philanthropist! He’s spending all his time lately working on a website with some underprivileged youths, trying to start a little online business!  Even wants to take them on a trip out of the kindness of his heart!” she explained, in a demeaning manner.

Shooting her a disgusted look, JJ shakes his head. “Mom, the HomeHunters are my friends. Not some… Charity project.” he shot back at her disrespectfully.

"HomeHunters?" Emilio quipped, releasing the boy’s cheek at last. He stares at JJ in a new-found light.

Tom rolled his eyes. “Some orphanage rubbish. Messed up kids, questionable adults too quite honestly… Good for Jose’s resume though.” he muttered distastefully.

JJ rolled his eyes. “Dad, they’re not messed up. Ryan’s the most well rounded friend I’ve got. His brothers are the best too. They’ve got this little kid named Ray who’s like a freaking gaming prodigy, and like the politest kid ever!” he retorted defensively.

His mother sighed. “Jose, enough. Mr. Narvaez does not want to hear about-“

Emilio slings his arm around JJ’s shoulder, leading him back into the dining room. “JJ, right? That’s what you prefer? Let’s talk about the HomeHunters. I happen to be a fan of possible tax write-offs. And I love… Good stories about kids. Let’s you and me… Talk.” he says warmly.

Mr. Jones’s face dropped. “M…Mr. Narvaez? I believe we were discussing our new… Business deal?” he mutters nervously.

Without another word, Emilio’s guards block the entrance to their dining room, him and JJ speaking casually together. Tom and Linda share confused glances, pushed backwards as they attempted to follow after them.   
  
————————————————-

(Christmas Eve)

The California airport was packed to fullest capacity with the holiday traveling. Especially for Christmas Eve, people were coming and going at a furious pace. Griffon stood with her arms folded, smiling gently. “Stay safe guys! Have fun!” she said, gripping her arms tightly.

A loud sigh escaped Burnie, rubbing his head. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with us? I already got you a ticket.” Burnie asked, turning to face Griffon. Beside him was Monty, busily typing away on his cell phone.

Griffon nodded. “I’m sure Burnie. Even though… He wants to see me, I just need more time. I… I’ll… Maybe after New Years.” she stutters, voice still unsure.

_Flight 420 to Austin is now in final boarding._

Burnie shakes his head. “Come on Griffy… You’ve come so far. What happened to everything you were talking about a few weeks ago? About wanting to see him? Wanting to be happy!?” he yelled, grabbing her by the arm.

She pulled her arm back, falling back a few steps. “I WILL Burnie. But it… It doesn’t have to be NOW does it?” Griffon shoots back.

_Flight 420 to Austin is now in final boarding._

Burnie looked away from her, disappointed. “I suppose not.” he mutters quietly. He walks off with Monty, into the gate.

Griffon waves goodbye, throwing her hands into her jean pockets. Pulling out a small photograph, she unfurls it, seeing Geoff’s messy handwriting pointing to all the kids and adults. She smiled, gripping it tightly.

"Don’t you want to see him? All of them?" said a woman’s soft voice, just to her side.

She turned, seeing a beautiful girl beside her. The stranger had flowing black hair, strong features, and some of the most beautiful natural thorn bracelets she’d ever seen before. Griffon shook it off, readjusting her gaze. “Excuse me?” she asked.

"I said… Don’t you want to see him? Geoffrey? His children? Jack? Isn’t that what you want?" she asked again, stepping closer to Griffon.

Griffon stepped backwards, away from the stranger. “How did you…” she stammered, realizing exactly what the woman meant.

"My name is Mishi. And… I don’t expect you to believe this, but I’m going to try anyway. If you don’t get on a plane and fly out TONIGHT to see Geoffrey, there is a good chance that you’ll be forever separated to him and his family." she explains, grabbing Griffon’s hand and holding it tightly. "There are things at work greater than you could ever hope to realize. The fates of countless lives rest in the hands of that family. A family that you… Should be a part of." she continues.

Griffon pulls her hand away, stumbling backwards. “SECURITY HELP!” she screamed, only to realize that the world around her had stopped completely. The crowded airport was, quite literally, frozen in time.

Mishi steps forward, offering her hand. “Griffon… Please. This is the only time I’m ever going to be able to help you. After this… Your fate is out of my hands.” she says desprately, tears running down her face. “All you have to say is… That you want to see him. I can make sure you get there safely. I promise!” she shrieked?

She continues to back away, crawling panically on her legs. “What are you!? How do you even know all this!? What’ happened here?! What’d you do!?” Griffon screamed, grabbing a nearby mop and holding it defensively.

With unwavering dedication, Mishi maintained her posture and extended hand. “I don’t have time for this. You won’t remember any of this anyway, so it’s a waste of my time to explain. So please. Just tell me the truth. Once and for all.” she exclaims loudly, stepping forward. “Griffon Anderson. Do you love Geoffrey Ramsey? Do you want to see him again? Do you want to be a part of his life? Do you want to go back home and see the friends and family that you left behind? DO YOU WANT TO BE HAPPY AGAIN? Answer me now, and answer me truthfully. That’s all I ask.” she says, in a tone of finality.

It was there, suspended in time, that Griffon’s eyes and body shook.

"I…"  
__________________

Gathered together on Christmas Eve, the HomeHunters sat in a circle in the living room, opening gifts from one and other that late evening. Joined by their friends and family, it was a warm occasion.  Decorations lined the walls, and a beautiful pine tree sat in the corner, with hand-made ornaments from the children. With everyone in pajamas, it would prove to be an exciting sleepover for all of the children.

"Thank you daddy!" screamed Michael in the corner, clutching a pair of plastic boxing gloves out of an unwrapped box. He immediately threw them on his fists, play-punching Gavin on the shoulder.

Geoff smiled, laughing. “No problem kiddo. I thought you might like that for your punching bag! Or for Ryan.” he exclaimed jokingly, taking a long sip from a glass of egg-nog.

Opening his own box, Ray pulls out a huge stuffed doll. “SNORLAX! AW YEAH! THANKS DAD!” he yelled, snuggling against the doll roughly the size of his head.

Jack grinned, chuckling. “Miles said you liked Pokemon, and he was the biggest sucker I could find!” he said warmly, clutching Caiti’s hand, who was sitting snugly next to him.

A gigantic squeal from Gavin’s vicinity causes the adults to cringe, and the children to cover their ears. Hopping up from the floor, he lunges into Barbara’s lap, hugging her tightly. “Thank you Barbie! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!” he screeches, holding a large tome of old fairy tales.  
Barbara hugs him back tightly, laughing. “Oh sweetie! I’m glad you like it! Soon enough you can read that all by yourself!” she said proudly, messing with his hair.

Sitting in Joel’s lap, Lindsay lifted up a thin necklace, with a small crystal teardrop on the end of it. In her other hand was a beautiful white coat, lined with a deep red, very similiar to Gavin’s from Halloween. “Jay they’re so pretty!” she said, clutching the objects close to her heart.

Joel hugs her from behind. “Daddy has a fabulous sense in fashion and design. Stick with me kiddo, and you’ll be JUST fine.” he cracked happily.

"COOL! SPORTS STUFF!" Dan yelled happily, pulling out several unopened sports balls and goal nets from a large gift bag. A basketball, a football, and a soccer ball soon found their packages being ripped open with great haste.

Sweating nervously, Kara patted him on the back. “Daddy and I didn’t know what sports you’d like best, so we thought we’d just let you pick! And that dodgeball and trashcan were getting a little… Dented lately…  You kick the ball so good!” she claimed, stuffing the soccer ball into his arms, kicking the football gently out of sight.

Silently, Courtney opened her last present, pulling out a large canvas, several sketchbooks, and a large paint and art set. A smile erupts on her face, turning up to Caiti. “Thank you Aunt Caiti! I love it!” she remarked, immediately flipping through one of the books eagerly.

Caiti leans into Jack, smiling. “Well you’re very welcome! I can’t wait to see what pretty pictures you’ll draw!” she replied sincerely.

Off in the corner, Ryan, Miles and Kerry each pull out a matching leather jacket, in different, formal colors. “Oh wow… This is… The nicest jacket I’ve ever had! Thank you so much Mrs. Luna!” Ryan says appreciatively, throwing it on himself immediately, revealing a near-perfect fit.

Rebecca snapped a quick picture with her camera, smiling. “Why you’re very welcome Ryan! I thought it was very fetching!” she explained, hugging him as he walked towards her.

The group finishes unwrapping their gifts, playing with their toys and talking loudly with each other.

Jack smiled, standing up. “Well, I think that’s all the presents! Kids? What do we say to everyone?” he exclaimed.

"THANK YOU" rang out politely from all the children.

Elena, in the very back stood up. “Oh! Wait just a minute! We’re forgetting someone!” she shouted, digging into her purse. “EDGAR! Here boy!” she exclaimed, brandishing a gigantic bone roughly the size of her arm.

Gleefully, the dog leapt in between the discarded wrapping papers on the floor, grabbing it mid-air.

Everyone laughs as the dog struggles to drag it protectively away from everyone, hiding under the kitchen table, chewing on it playfully.

Geoff stood up, smiling. “Ok then! How about we get some hot cocoa, cookies, and watch a movie? Our last guests will probably be a little late, having to fly and all.” he explained. As if on cue, the front door knocked loudly. “Or not!” he chuckled, making his way towards the door.

Unlocking it, a jet lagged and tired looking Monty Oum appeared before them. “Evening guys. Sorry I’m late. Flights are a mess because of the nasty weather, Burnie’s way late too. What on earth is with Texas raining the whole damn month? Jeeeesus.” he groaned annoyingly.

Monty walked into the HomeHunters, carrying a heavily packed messenger bag slung across his shoulder. His hair was in a new, stylish blue, and his attire was its typical modern fashion.

“It’s uncle Monty!” Gavin screamed, bounding through the house and hugging him tightly.

Miles blushed wildly, grinning from ear to ear. “Hey Monty! Good to see you man!” he yelled, controlling his fanboying urges as best he could.

Dramatically, Monty ushered a hand to his mouth, silencing the group with a loud shush. “Listen… I met someone REALLY important outside who’d like to meet all of you personally. He’s a dear friend of mine I met in Hollywood. Would you mind if I… Let him in?” Monty asked, winking in Geoff’s direction.  
“Uh.. Sure?” Geoff replied, turning to the other adults in shared confusion.   
Monty grinned, re-opening the front door. “Come on in!” he yelled, motioning outside the door.

Slowly, a man in a bright red suit entered the HomeHunters.

“HO HO HO! MERRRRRY CHRISTMAS!” exclaimed Burnie, in a faked deep voice. Hanging down from his face was a high quality white beard, attached firmly to his face. His suit was silky red, made of fine material, bright and convincing. Stuffed into his belly was a large pillow, and slung across his back was a valor sack that barely fit through the door.

“SANTA!” the children screamed in unison, many of them dropping their jaws in disbelief.

Michael raised his hand, pointing at him. “Y…You’re… You’re… REAL?” he stuttered, shaking in shock.

“Santa” makes his way into the home, stuffing his sack onto a chair next to him on the couch. He was quickly surrounded by the children, all eagerly looking up at him with wide eyes.

“OF COURSE I AM! I’m so glad you finally sent me a letter this year Michael! You and Daniel both!” he guffawed, patting both boys on the head.

Dan smiled excitedly. “Does that mean I get a present?! Was I good enough this year?” he asked worriedly.

Santa Burnie lets out a hearty laugh.. “All of you have been VERY good boys and girls this year. You’ve been brave, strong, and courageous. Some of the best children in the whole wide world! So all of you are going to be getting the best presents Santa can get!” he explains, opening his sack and pulling out a elegantly wrapped box. “For Michael!” he exclaimed, handing the boy the gift.

Michael ripped into the present like a beast as everyone watched, pulling out a custom Pokemon DS, a copy of Pokemon Pearl, Pokemon HeartGold, and a stuffed Pikachu doll. His face lit up, turning back to Burnie. “You got my letter… You… You knew I didn’t have this game!  GAVIN!  We can play together now!” he choked out, hugging the objects tightly to his chest.

He rubbed the boy’s head. “For one brave little boy. I hope you have fun with your brother playing!” he explained, pulling back into his bag. Grabbing a long, golden box, he hands it to Gavin. “For Gavin!” he said.

The boy gently unwrapped the gift slowly, revealing an electronic musical keyboard. Taped to it was a jeweled CD case, with the RWBY logo on it. “A PIANO! AND RWBY MUSIC! OH MY GOSH! THANK YOU SANTA! THANK YOU!” he yelled, running up and hugging the man’s neck as tightly as he could.

Santa Burnie chuckled. “You are very welcome! I hear you’re about to take music lessons! Practice hard!” he said happily. Releasing Gavin, he ran into his bag once more, selecting a wide box. “RYAN!” he yelled, tossing it across the room.

“Me?” Ryan commented curiously, holding the box in disbelief. Burnie winked at him knowingly, giving him a thumbs up. Nodding, Ryan opened it carefully. Unwrapped, there was a high quality digital camera awaiting him, with a 5 GB memory card taped to it.

Burnie smiled. “For making plenty of great memories that will last a lifetime. It should come with a cord for your laptop when you fill it up.” he explained.

Ryan smiled. “Thank you Bu…. Santa. Thank you… So much.” he said happily, walking across the room and hugging him tightly. He backed off, clawing at the box immediately to open it up.

“Onto… Ray!” he exclaimed, withdrawing back into his bag once more, selecting a thin box.

He hands it to Ray, who rips into it immediately. Taped together were three older-looking games, from the Playstation 2 era. Atop them was a GiftCard to Gamestop. “AWWW MAN, these are the games I wanted to play from the Internet! And Gamestop money! WOO HOO!” he yelled loudly.

“Santa” smiled. “Well, I thought you’d rather pick out your own games. I’m sure your Dads will take you when the stores are back open.” he guffawed loudly, putting on a thick laughter. “Now… MILES. Where’s Miles at?” Burnie exclaimed loudly.

Blinking wildly, Miles pointed to himself. “Me?” he said in disbelief.

Burnie laughed loudly. “Well that’s what the present says! Mr. Miles Ramsey!” he says, winking at the boy. He grabs a large gift from his bag, handing it to Miles gently.

Miles politely opened the gift quietly, revealing a conversion kid to record video game footage. Taped atop it was a PCI card addition they also required, with an already opened copy of editing software. “This is…” he murmured to himself.

Cutting Santa off before he could speak, Monty plops down beside him. “I bet you can learn a lot about production learning how to edit footage. That’ll be a good tool in furthering your online career. Or making fun video game guides. Whatever floats your boat.” he said proudly.

Santa pushes Monty off the couch, grabbing back into his bag. “Dan the Man’s up next!” he shouts loudly, pulling out a large box the size of a small desk.

Dan nervously walks up to the box, looking up at Santa. “Thank you!” he says, embarrassingly. He rips into it, revealing a plain cardboard box under the elegant wrapping paper. Assisting him, Joel pops out a pocketknife, cutting the tape that sealed the top of the box. Dan opens it himself, his face exploding happily as he pulls out a set of football safety equipment, a metallic basketball hoop, several different shoes, athletic outfits, and a soccer goal kit. “COOL! AW MAN, IT’S REAL SPORTS STUFF! MOM, DAD! IT’S WHAT I WANTED! THANK YOU SANTA! THANK YOU!” he screamed, turning around and hugging Burnie’s leg tightly.

"Daww, well I’m glad you like it!  I hear you’re quite the little athlete!   But next up is… Why I think it’s little Lindsay!" he says cheerily, pulling out a long, narrow box.

She stands up and grabs it, with a beaming smile. “Thank you Santa!” Lindsay says, ripping into it. Behind the brightly colored wrapping paper was a white box, which she tore the top off immediately. Inside of it was a wide variety of plastic weapons, in a wide array of colors. Lindsay pulled out a red gun-like object.

Kara snorted. “You got my daughter a fake gun?” she asked incredulously, jaw dropping.

Lindsay shook her head, squealing loudly. “No Mommy! It’s a…” she says, pressing a small button on the side. Swiping it outwards, the gun unfurls, flinging into a gigantic scythe that was taller than she was. Lindsay stamps it into the ground with a loud thud. “It’s Crescent Rose and Team RWBY and JNPR’s weapons! And I’m RUUUUBY! It’s exactly what I wanted!” she squealed playfully, grabbing a red cloak out of the box and wrapping it around her neck. She laughs maniacly swinging it around playfully, swishing with her cloak with loud sound effects.

"Even worse… Better hide the lamps. It’ll be X-Ray and Vav all over again…" Kara muttered to Joel. He nodded, rolling his eyes in disgust. "Thanks Santa…" Joel muttered quietly into Burnie’s ear.

Ignoring the naysayers, Santa handed a gift to Courtney. “And then little Courtney!” he said, handing a small box to her.

She takes it, smiling happily. Courntey opens it carefully, grabbing a small plastic card from its depths. “What’s this?” she asked, looking up at him curiously.

Santa smiled. “It’s a gift card that you can use anywhere! I know you wanted clothes and jewelry for Christmas, but I figured that your Mommy would know what you’d like a whole lot better than I would!” he said, winking at her.

"OH! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to go shopping with Mommy! It’s my favorite!" she yelled, hugging him tightly around the neck.

He patted her on the back. “Well, you’re very welcome! And now that just leaves….” Burnie mutters, pulling out the final box in his bag. “Mr. Kerry Shawcross!” he commented.

Kerry blushed. “Oh! Uh… Thank you! I wasn’t expecting anything!” he said, walking forward nervously. He takes the package, unwrapping it cleanly. Once torn off, he finds himself staring at DVD box sets from Burns Production, all signed and with a unique custom boxart. “Oh wow! RWBY and the Dead Fantasy movies! COOL!” he says, grinning politely.

From the floor, Monty chuckled. “Those aren’t just regular DVDs. I’m sure Santa knew you had those already. Those? Those are one of a kind in the whole world. Boxarts were hand drawn by the lead animator. Then the DVDs have director, writer and animator commentary about the process of making an anime movie, as well as our writing philosophies. Plus deleted scenes we never put in the original stuff. Keep those out of our competitor’s hands! Wouldn’t want our trade secrets getting out, would we?” he said, winking.

"You’re kidding!" Kerry screeched, looking back down at them. "Holy crap! Thank you guys so much!" he yelled.

With his bag emptied, Burnie stood up, stretching widely. “Well, that’s all of them, and I’ve got a VERY busy night. I really must be going now…” he says, patting his stomach and giving a hearty laugh.

Jack stood up as well, shaking his hand. “Well thanks for stopping by Santa! Kids? What do we say?” he asked politely.

"Thank yous" rang out from the children, and Burnie made his way towards the front door, Geoff closely in tow behind him. He put his arm around his friend, laughing. "You are one hell of a guy Burnie Burns. I didn’t mean for you to get them ALL that stuff, Jesus Christ man…" he said in disbelief.

Burnie rolled his eyes. “Whatever man, it’s the least I can do. They’re my family too, ya know?” he chuckled.

Tucking his head closer to Burnie, he whispered quietly into his ear. “Head next door, the spare key’s under the stone frog out front, you can change there. I’ll keep the kids out.” Geoff said.

"Thanks man. I’ll be over in an hour. Gonna shower too, I feel disgusting after that long flight." Burnie explained, walking out of the door, with loud goodbyes echoing from the house.

Geoff shut the door behind him, staring into the wood frame longingly. He turned to his side, watching as the clock nearly struck nine.

 _I guess.. I guess you’re not coming…_  
____________________

As the early morning wore on, the children slowly, one by one, found themselves fast asleep. Michael, Gavin and Lindsay were curled up together on the couch, under a shared blanket with their DSes hanging out of their tiny hands. Ray was fast asleep in Miles’s lap on the floor in front of the TV, the younger one with a controller still tucked in his hands, the older one sleeping softly. Off to the side, Kerry was fast asleep on a makeshift sleeping bag, with Dan using his stomach as a pillow. Courtney was snoozing on the opposite couch, mid-draw, with her sketchbook fallen to her side on the floor. Ryan, still wearing his new jacket, was curled up warmly next to Michael and his friends, with his camera dangling from his neck on its straps.

With their guests borrowing various rooms in both homes, and their co-parents off to the next door to sleep, Geoff watched all of the children from far above in the kitchen. Sipping a hot mug of coffee, he sighed happily. “Just… Doesn’t seem real. All of this…” he muttered.

Burnie, standing next to him, slung his arm over his friend’s shoulder. Long since in his pajamas and typical attire, he was in a far more relaxed position than his other silken suit. “You’ve come a long way Geoffy-boy. A long way from mugging assholes, being a dipshit, and just the general scum of th earth” he muttered endearingly.

Geoff returned the side-hug, gripping his friend tightly. “Burnie, you’re a big part of it… I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done. From the start-up money for our first house and projects… To the Christmas presents… I just… I don’t know what to say… You’ve given them so much. You’ve given… ME so much.” he stuttered, voice trembling.

His friend rolled his eyes. “Nah. I gave you guys THINGS. Money didn’t make all this happen, it was your and Jack’s hard work and dedication. Things don’t make these kids happy. It’s what they did with them that was important. They shared, talked and played together happily until they all fell asleep. Michael played all night with Lindsay and Gavin, sharing his games and pointing out where they needed to go in those Pokemon games. Ray and Miles sat together the whole damn night trying to grind through that game and pick up on secret stuff, recording the footage together. Courtney drew Kerry and Dan in those funny poses wearing the sports crap, and Ryan took a million pictures of everyone for the family’s sake. You’re raising them right Geoff. They know what the most important thing in the world is. Not expensive toys or having the best presents.” Burnie explained, smiling happily.

He nodded. “It’s family… And never being alone.” Geoff finished for him, retracting his hand.

Burnie laughed to himself, yawning loudly. “I suppose I’ll be hitting the hay. I’m stealing your room! G’NIGHT asshole!” he said directly, bounding off towards Geoff’s room, hopping over the unconscious children like hurdles.

Alone, Geoff just rolled his eyes, resigning himself to the floor for the evening. But before he could hop to the ground, a gentle knock came at the front of the house. Lighting cracked through the sky, illuminating the house immediately.

Slowly, he made his way to the door.

_Who could be out this late and in this terrible weather? Joel? Gus? Maybe Barbie forgot something._

Reaching for the knob, he twisted it, opening the front door.

And it was there, in his door-frame, that stood a woman. A woman soaked down to her very bones, pink hair clinging to her forehead, and winter sweater hanging wetly off her body. On her nose was a familiar septem piercing, alongside a set of beautiful set of diamond earrings.

"Hi Geoff. Sorry…  Sorry I didn’t call.. Sorry I’m late, had a delayed flight… Um… Think we could still… Talk?" she hesitantly spoke, in a warm voice that brought an immediate flutter to his heart.

Geoff’s face froze, heart pumping through his chest. “Griffy…” he said quietly.

Thunder boomed throughout the entire city of Austin.  
________________________

Elena giddily hopped into her Honda outside of her home, buckling quickly with a giddy grin on her face. The rain was still falling in sheets that Christmas morning, and the wipers were set to full blast.

Backing up, she dialed a number on her cell phone, letting her bluetooth headset connect. It rang a few times, the other end finally picking up. “Hello?” Jack answered, from the HomeHunters house.

"IS SHE THERE? PLEASE TELL ME SHE’S THERE! I got Geoff’s message this morning, and I’m on my way right now!" Elena shouted happily.

A gentle hum left Jack’s throat. “Yep. Griffy and Geoff went off to talk privately, but she’ll be back this afternoon for Christmas lunch. Come on over, I’ve got breakfast going with Joel for the kids and all our guests! There’s gonna be PLENTY.” he said warmly.

Elena squealed, bouncing up and down in her seat like a child as she came to a red light. “I’ll be there soon! AHH! Jack! Griffy’s back! Griffy’s back!” she said excitedly, hanging up.

Reaching down to turn off her phone, she raises her head up just in time to see a semi-truck rush past within an inch of the front of her vehicle, running a red light. Its horn blared loudly, and it smashed into the wall of a nearby store, fire erupting quickly from the front engine wit a loud explosion.

"Oh my god!" Elena yelled, putting her vehicle into a parked position. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she shakes off the horror. "That… That almost killed me!" she screamed. But she turned on the vehicle’s emergency lights, pulling her cell phone out immediately. She dials 911, and has a responder on the phone immediately.

"911, what is your emergency?" a kind woman asks over the phone.

Panting, Elena jumps out of the vehicle, surveying the damage. “Yes, there’s been a car accident just outside Tony’s Pizzaria in south Austin! A semi just crashed into a vehicle, and it’s on fire!” she fervently spoke.

-

"That was no accident." murmured Edgar, sitting at a nearby park bench, Margaret to his side. The two were sharing a large umbrella, keeping each other dry. Quietly, he continued to feed a large group of birds, them pecking at bread ceaselessly. Crowds of people flocked to the scene near the loud crash, and several tripped over an invisible string hanging from Margaret’s fingertip, attached to the back of Elena’a car.

She nodded. “No… It wasn’t. Was it him?” Margaret asked, turning to face Edgar with a worried expression.

The man says nothing, continuing to mindlessness feed the birds more and more crumbs of dry bread. “Hard to say. I caught its presence for only a brief moment. Definitely wasn’t one of us. So I’d wager a guess to say that… Yes. It’s him.” Edgar mutters quietly.

Margaret sighs, dissipating the string from her hand. “What does he hope to gain? Revenge? Satisfaction in seeing the HomeHunters Project fail? How could anyone be so… So cruel?” she stuttered, standing from the bench.

Shaking his head, Edgar groans loudly. “Who’s to say, really? His reason in staying behind in this world is likely just as private and deep-rooted as ours are. All we can do is… Watch over them as we have. And try to prevent him from getting in their progress.” he explains, tossing the remaining bread loaf on the ground, where the birds flock and fight over it loudly. “Speaking of which… I believe we can proceed with Phase II? Whatever Ms. Anderson’s choice may be today, the children will continue regardless.” he says a bit more brightly.

She smiles weakly, hopping up from the bench and hopping away. “Yep! Isaac’s already passed his gifts on to Gavin and Dan. I’ll work with my baby Lindsay and her sister Courtney.” Margaret says, gripping her heart longingly.

Edgar chuckles. “And I’ll care for Ryan and Miles. Mishi will aid Ray and Kerry. And that leaves….” he says.

Allison appears behind them, sitting atop the bench’s back seating, smiling smugly in the rain. “Michael’s already taken care of last night. Nobody should ever be able to hurt my little baby EVER again.” she says, grinning brightly.  
________________________

"OW! MICHAEL THAT HURT!" Gavin screamed loudly from the backyard’s covered porch. Even on Christmas Day, rain was still ruining what could have otherwise been a great day of outside play.

Jack looked up from the kitchen, watching as Gavin raced into the home, clutching his shoulder. “Gavin? What’s the matter!? Are you ok?!” he said, dropping his utensils and rushing over to the boy.

"GAVIN I’M SO SORRY! I didn’t mean to hit you that hard!" he shouted, running in just behind him.

On his hands were his new boxing gloves, and on Gavin’s shoulders were Dan’s football shoulder-pads. Gavin chucked off the gear, peeling off his shirt.

On his right shoulder was an already forming purple welt.”Good grief! Gavin what happened!?” Jack exclaimed, touching the bruise gently.

The boy cringed at the pressure to the bruise, trying not to cry. “Umm.. Michael and I wanted to do play boxing like on TV, so I borrowed Dan’s football armor thingy cuz I was scared it might hurt. So I told him to hit me as hard as he wanted, cuz it wasn’t supposed to hurt! But it DID. Michael hits HARD!” Gavin says, rubbing his shoulder gently.

Michael drops his head. “I’m sorry Gavin… I wasn’t trying to hit you THAT hard. It just… Happened…” he said, wiping away tears from his face.

He runs over, and hugs Michael. “It’s ok Michael! You didn’t do it on purpose!” Gavin says, hugging him tightly.

Jack blinked several times, rubbing his forehead. “Wait… Gavin… Are you saying that… Michael punched a bruise on you wearing cushioned fluffy boxing gloves and with you wearing football shoulder-pads?” he asked incredulously.  
Gavin nodded. “YEAH. IT HURT!” he yelled.

From the kitchen, Joel snorted loudly, flipping another set of pancakes. “Well… He IS Mogar!” he chuckled. 


	25. Griffon's Choice

Collapsing onto the HomeHunter couch, Elena sighed, waving a makeshift newspaper into her face. “It was terrible… Oh my god, had I moved more than an inch or two, it would have…” she said excitedly, the after-adrenaline and horror finally jetting through her veins over her an hour or two later.

It was nearly noon, the majority of the children dressed, washed and in their normal attire. Breakfast was long since already served, but Jack was quickly fixing another plate for Elena, hoping to ease her discomfort. The house was cleaned up from the previous evening’s slumber party in a combined effort of the children, and the gifts had been put away in their proper places.

Kerry was by her side, grasping her hand tightly. “Mom, it’s ok… You’re ok! Everything will be fine! I know it’s scary, but it’s over!” he exclaims supportingly.

Sitting down next to her, Jack hands her a glass of orange juice. “So what happened? Did the police tell you anything? What happened?” he asked curiously.

She nodded, taking a long gulp of the beverage. “The police said the man had a stroke. Some horrible freak accident that ran him through the red light. That poor man’s family…. On Christmas, of all days…” Elena stuttered. Shaking her thoughts away, he took another long drink. “I don’t want to talk about it right now, sorry. Where’s Griffy? Shouldn’t they have gotten back by now?” she asked, looking around the room expectantly.

Jack smirked, patting her on the leg. “Geoff called about an hour ago. They’re on their way back, should be here before the big family lunch.” he replied.

Turning to his mother, Kerry tilted his head. “Griffy? As in… Geoff’s Griffy?!” he loudly retorted, opening his eyes wider. “The Griffy he’s been waiting YEARS to see?”

Elena nodded. “That’s right sweetheart! She came back last night while you guys were asleep, and they left early this morning to go talk. I-” she starts, stopping as her son dives off the couch and digging into a nearby desk drawer. “Kerry, what are you doing?” she asked oddly.

Popping his head up from the table, he begins scribbling into a spiral notebook he’d pulled from teh desk. “Are you kidding me?! I’m writing this stuff down! JACK! Where were they going to eat? What’d they say last night? Have they kissed yet? I NEED DETAILS MAN! DETAILS!” he shouts loudly, looking at them with a near frothing appearance.

Jack and Elena turn to each other, sharing an equally confused expression.

________________

Virtually nothing was open on Christmas Day, and the downpour of rain made it all the more ghostly. Walking along the streets of Austin under a shared umbrella for half an hour, Geoff and Griffon finally managed to come across a small cafe that was still open. Ran by a brunette with a funny English accent, he’d served them coffee and let them be. The cafe was otherwise empty, rain gently pouring with a pitter-pattter against the concrete streets. They had taken a seat inside nearly two hours ago, Griffon speaking the entire time to a silent Geoff, him taking everything in.

"And then… I guess things got a little fuzzy, but I remember that Burnie bought me a ticket. I left it at home by accident though, so I had to run all the way back to my apartment. Ran late to the plane, so I had to catch a later flight. I was lucky to get on the plane I did. Wouldn’t have made it otherwise…" she explained, huddling in Geoff’s borrowed clothes and jacket for warmth. "So… That’s how I got here, and where I’ve been." she finished, taking a long drink of her coffee.

Geoff smirked. “So Burnie… All these years he… He knew where you were…” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Griffon shot her head up. “No. Don’t blame him Geoff. He wanted from DAY ONE for me just to try and talk this out. He’s tried to get me back out here for years. It’s because of him that I’m here today.” she retorted fiercely.

He shook his hands defensively. “Nah, I’m not mad at him. Just surprised a loudmouth like him kept a secret for so damn long.” Geoff chuckled.

Smiling, Griffon took another long sip of her coffee, letting the warmth flow through her veins. “Me too… Me too…” she muttered in a lighthearted tone.

They sat in silence, awkwardly fidgeting in their seats.

"Griffy… There’s something I want to say to you." he says, looking up into her face sternly.

She shifts in her seat, biting the bottom of her lip.

Geoff’s stern expression melts, turning into a bright smile. “I’m sorry. For everything I put you through.” he says, shaking his head in self-disgust.

Her face raised up. “Geoff…” Griffon muttered.

"I was selfish. All I ever thought about was myself. I never thought about how my actions affected you. All I could think was how bad I hurt because you left. I never once thought… About how you felt. Not until… Not until I had my kids." Geoff said, gripping his mug tightly. "It hurt me when I saw Ryan not care about himself, feeling like he was worthless. It killed me knowing that Gavin wouldn’t talk because he was scared it hurt people. Seeing Michael hurt himself and others because he couldn’t express how hurt he actually was. Then Ray never telling anyone how he felt, because he didn’t want to get left behind again. Finally… Miles. I saw a smart kid nearly give up on himself because of what his father was doing." he said painfully, closing his eyes. "I wanted to help them Griffy. I wanted to make all the bad things go away, and just MAKE them happy and smile through all the hurt. But I couldn’t. Not until… Not until they helped themselves first, and learned to let people in." Geoff explained, sighing loudly.

Griffon blinked, watching him breathe in and out slowly.

Re-opening his eyes, Geoff stared at her with a pained expression. “I’m sorry Griffy. I sorry I never let you in.” he choked out, grabbing her hand and holding it tightly. “But thank you… For what you did. Because you left and sacrificed your own life, I had to face myself for the first time. It was a hard battle that took me years to get through, but one that I…” he muttered, gripping her hand tenderly. “I became a man because of. I grew up, and realized that I had to make my own happiness, not just expect it to happen on its own. So everything I have today is because of you. You… You gave me my life.” Geoff finished, grinning dorkily.

Gripping his hand back, Griffon smiled. “And that’s… That all I wanted. I wanted you to live a life. Not just have you blow through it and ruin everything because of how you felt for me, or because of your past. And you did… You did Geoff… And I-” she said, wiping tears from her face.

Their waiter returned, placing a large cheesecake between them and re-filling their cups. With a warm smile, he adjusted the bow-tie around his neck, patting a few wrinkles out of his bartender-like outfit. “Isaac” was written on his name-tag. “Happy Holidays. It seems as though you’re our only guests today, and this lovely cake will ruin by tomorrow. Please, share it between each other, on the house. You two lovebirds look like you could use it.” he winked, with a light British tone. He places a knife into the cake, handing two plates in front of their bodies. “An old saying my fiance used to tell me was that any argument or heartache can be solved with patience, love, understanding, and a large helping of chocolate. Hopefully it will work for you as well.” Isaac says, chuckling lightly to himself.

He walked away without another word, the two of them speechless from his act of kindness. “Thanks man!” Geoff said, waving playfully to him.

Griffon smiled widely, laughing off her earlier tears. “Chocolate cheesecake. My favorite!” she exclaimed, cutting into it immediately and serving herself a large portion. She does the same for Geoff, placing an equally large portion on his.

Grabbing his fork, Geoff spikes a large chunk of the cake, throwing it into his mouth and chewing quietly.

"Geoff… I know this is selfish to ask with everything going on in your life, but… It’s why I’m here, it’s what I want, and I’m just going to come out and ask it." Griffon muttered, dicing her slice into bite-sized pieces.

He swallows loudly, returning his gaze to her.

She spears a piece onto her fork, raising it close to her face. “Do you… Think that we could… Ever be… Together again?” Griffon asked, popping the bite into her mouth.

Thunder boomed loudly, reverberating in the cafe.

Geoff looked away from her. “Griffy.. There is nothing else in this world that I’d rather do then take you home, introduce you to the kids, and us two start dating. Start right back up where we left off.” he muttered quietly.

She turned away as well. “I hear a but coming on.” Griffon admitted painfully.

"BUT… I’m a full time dad with five kids that need me to be there for them. I have a baby company that’s just barely getting off its feet. My only free time is when the kids are at school, and I don’t have any outstanding bookkeeping or budgeting to do. Which is… Never." Geoff said, turning back to look at her. "And… I’m happy with the way things are right now. I’m doing what I want in life, and love being a dad. I’ve never felt anything more rewarding in my life." he explained, gripping fiddling with his cake, mashing it around.

Griffon smiled. “You know… I like my life too. Voice acting, art, sculpting… It’s great.” she said reluctantly. “I guess I just hoped that you and I could-“

"BUT…" Geoff said, smirking. "That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you. Griffy… I love you. I’ve never stopped loving you. I’m just letting you know what to expect in all of this. Not many women would find a thirty something male with no free time and chained down with a lot of responsibilities, very attractive. I’m not going to change who I am, or how I spend time with my kids and work. But if you’re ok with that, then I’d-"

She shushes him immediately, cutting him off mid-sentence with a finger crossing his lips. Her face is cracking with a bright smile. “You are such an asshole, you little prick! I thought you were about to kiss me off!” Griffon says, slapping his face playfully.

His face relaxes. “So you’re..  Ok with this?…” Geoff stuttered.

Griffon nodded. “Yeah.  I am.” she finishes for him, returning back to her cheesecake. “So Geoff, you’ve heard my life the last few years! Let’s hear about yours! What happened after I left?” she asked, staring into his eyes plainly.

Geoff returned to his own mashed mess, scooping a large helping into his mouth. “Well, I ran away from the orphanage that night. The first step on the whirling tornado of dumb decisions…” he started, conversing with Griffon at length.

-

Far across the cafe, behind the register, Isaac grinned. “Finally. That just makes everything far more easi-” he cuts himself off mid-thought, watching an older teenager walk inside the cafe. In a dark black trench-coat and with dark brown hair, he stands inside for only a moment or two, watching Geoff and Griffon intently. “Can I help you?” Isaac asked.

The strange teen doesn’t acknowledge Isaac, instead shaking in a peculiar form of rage.

"Sir?!" Isaac says once more, the teen swinging back around and facing him with light green eyes. Recognition causes Isaac to stiffen. "You… You’re a…" he murmurs quietly, staring darkly at the boy.

Without another word, the strange teen exits the cafe, still staring firmly at Geoff and Griffon.

Isaac doesn’t take his eyes of the boy, squinting hard as he looks into the depths of the boy’s soul. Within a few moments, he gasped. “You’re a fade.” he whispered quietly, shooting his gaze back to Geoff and Griffon. Looking over them from a distance, he stares deeply into Griffon’s eyes, seeing a cloudy mix of black tendrils unknowingly grasping at her mind.

"No wonder you couldn’t make up your mind. I’m amazed you made it out here at all…" Isaac muttered angrily. With a single snap of his fingers, the black form in her eyes disappears, dissolving into thin air.

As they evaporated, Griffon’s face regained a tinge of color, speaking more openly with Geoff, and laughter returning to her voice.

 _"Who are you?"_ Isaac thought, recalling the teenage fade’s face curiously.

___________________________

Barbara’s home lacked the Christmas festivities of her other friends’s houses.  Without time to dedicate, she’d more or less just skipped Christmas that year.

Fresh from the shower, she was in a fluffy bathrobe stretched out on the couch. In her lap was a photo album, flipping through the pages. On each page was photos of Barbara and her many “children” she’d helped over the years. A before and after photograph, from when she’d first met them and when they’d left her care at eighteen. She grabbed a glass of juice from her table, downing it quickly.

"Off in la-la land Barbie?" Gus asked, unlocking the door from the front and entering her home with a key he had from house-sitting during her vacations. He was in a business suit, carrying a large briefcase. "I’ve been knocking for the last five minutes! What’s up with you?" he asked incredulously, walking into her living room.

She rolled her eyes, tightening the drawstring around her robe. “Oh, just walking down memory lane. What brings you all the way out here? I thought you and Esther were heading back to Dallas for your family’s Christmas tonight?” Barbara asked, setting the photo album on the table and turning her attention back to him.  ”More importantly, why are you in the monkey suit?” she asked curiously, giving him an odd look.

He nodded. “Yeah, heading that way. Had a little early morning meeting with our state senator, hence the outfit from hell. Was more than eager to have me paraded around at some Christmas charity function to praise him for his support of the HomeHunter project. I’ve never in my life seen more stuffed shirts in one place. Jesus Christ, it was painful. Actually, that’s why I’m here. I know you’re heading over to Geoff’s, and I hoped you’d give this to him and save me a trip.” Gus shot out, slumping back into the chair and slamming his briefcase on her coffee table.

Barbara sat up more straight, giving him a quizzical expression. “What’s that?” she asked.

Gus removed his tie, stuffing it into his pocket. “Like I said, talked to our Senator for the better part of three hours. Gave him a little earful about the HomeHunters progress, since our capital rep is a toddering old asshole. Did it while I was in front of his other political buddies too. Needless to say… They’re VERY interested in our program now that it’s working out so well.  Especially this new business dude named…  Lewie?  I forget…” he said with a gigantic grin.

Sorting through the papers, her jaw drops. “You did NOT!” Barbara exclaims.

With a thumbs up, Gus winked at her. “Approval for HH3, HH4 and HH5. 2 two kid homes, and 1 one kid home. Typical foster funding for the kids on the government side, we have to come up with the rest, like on HH2. Geoff needs my approval on the form, and I have to see the budget before you can start buying house, but it’s not a big hurdle from what I understand by a recent donation spike.” he said, nodding knowingly. He stretched out, crossing his legs in a smug manner. “Bypassed half our usual bureaucratic shit in three hours. No applause, please. Just tell Geoff I like my appreciation in the form of a 24 pack and a free pizza. Triple meat.” he laughs smugly.

Shooting her hands up, she cheered. “Whee! This is wonderful! GUS! Oh my god, you brown nosing ass kissing god, I love you!” Barbara yelled, running off the couch and hugging him tightly.

With a false modesty, Gus pushes her off him gently, standing up and removing his jacket, hanging it off his arm. “Yeah well, I’m the Director. It’s my job to make sure you idiots get everything you need. And if you’ll excuse me on making this visit short, I’ve got my wife and two yapping dogs waiting back home for me to get going on our trip. Merry Christmas Barbie. Have fun with the HomeHunters for me and give them my regards!” he said happily. Gus picks back up his briefcase, making his way out of the home.

Barbara escorts him out, and the two exchange pleasant goodbyes as he leaves. She locks her door back, returning to the couch she’d been sat upon before. Touching the papers Gus had left behind, a pained expression covers her face. She flips through the photo album, to the very last page. A small boy with dark brown hair was cradled in her arms, burying his face into her chest and hiding from the camera. Dating themselves a bit, Geoff, Jack and Carter were standing beside her, comforting the child with kind smiles, and a much more youthful appearance. Unlike the other photos in the album, there was no “after” picture, and a pressed white lily was taped to it.

"I just wish we’d done all this sooner. Or had more than just a few homes… I know so many kids that could sure use it. Or… Who could have really used it." she said painfully, gently stroking the photograph with longing eyes.

___________________________

Ray was caught up in his room, playing video games by himself while the others watched Christmas movies in the living room, waiting for Geoff and Griffon to return. Beside him was Kerry, busily writing in a notebook full of notes about Ray.

"Anything else you wanna add? I really don’t have much to write about you buddy…" Kerry said pleadingly.

He shrugged. “I don’t know anything else! Mommy never talked about daddy much, and I don’t remember all the places we went… Um….” Ray paused, tapping the buttons on his controllers wildly. “OH! You can talk about me and Gavin playing X-Ray and Vav! We’re superheros, but just pretend!” he replied eagerly. He didn’t take his eyes of the screen, but had a bright smile covering his face. “We saved Joe the neighborhood cat from a tree! Stopped the mad scientist Ryan! And we tried to saved Prince Michael from the Evil Queen Lindsay!” Ray said excitedly.

Kerry scribbled down on the pages quickly. “That’s great! What happened then?” he asked kindly.

Ray paused the game for a moment, turning around to look at Kerry face-to-face. “Well Mr. Joe the Cat was stuck up WAY high in a tree! So it was up to me and Vav to save him! We got a ladder and Michael helped up climb ALL the way up there. But then Mogar the Meanie let go of the ladder and Joe jumped off the tree. Daddy had to come rescue us, and he wasn’t very happy…” he muttered embarrassingly.

Writing at light speed, Kerry nodded quickly. “What about The Mad Scientist Ryan?!” he asked, a grin covering his face.

Ray folded his arms. “The Mad Scientist Ryan KIDNAPPED EDGAR! And his evil henchman Miles the Butler tried to stop us, but me, Vav and Mogar ran in and beat em all up real good!” he said proudly, animating the scene with punches and kicks into the air.

Kerry laughed. “Ok.. ok… Now what about the EVIL QUEEN LINDSAY? Did you guys beat her up too and save Prince Michael?” he asked in a playfully dark tone.

Becoming white as a sheet, Ray turns back around to his game, unpausing it and playing once more. He says nothing.

Prodding him with his pen, Kerry tilts his head curiously. “Uh… Ray?” he questioned, with a hesitant voice.

"We do not talk about those dark times…" he murmurs mysteriously, in a haunting tone.

Kerry looks at him incredulously.

Blushing, Ray turned away. “I said we TRIED to save Prince Michael.” he utters in a final tone of voice.

-

Sitting on the bed behind the boys undetected, Mishi smiled, watching them both display passion for their respective hobbies. A passion she’d once had for the arts, which creates a painful ache in her chest. She clutches her heart, sighing loudly, remembering the beautiful flowers she’d once been able to create.

Ray hops on the bed, re-gaining her attention. “OH! And one time, Miles and I played a video game all night long till Daddy walked in the living room Sunday morning! He wasn’t happy we stayed up all night, and said were in big trouble! We had to go to bed right then and not play video games the rest of the whole day… But it was ok, cuz we beat the game and promised not to do it again unless we asked first…” Ray explained, still completely focused on his game. Though his face was lighter, fondly smiling.

Kerry laughed at the comment, making several long swiping motions with his pencil. “That’ll be fun to write. You guys NEVER get into trouble, so it’ll make it more realistic! Any other times you guys got into trouble?” he spouts, looking at him mischievously.

Ray rubs his head, his eyes watering. “There was the time Michael and Gavin help me cut my hair in the summer…” he said, frowning at the painful memory.

Mishi chuckled to herself, remembering the hairstyle in vivid detail. The pain in her chest lessened a bit, and she took a deep breath, remembering her mission. “I gift unto you both the power to pursue your passions to their fullest. That you might pursue your dreams with a fervent heat, never faltering in your dedication to improving your crafts however different they may be.” she muttered, touching their backs gently. In a quick rush, the heat from her body vacates quickly, leaving an empty hole in her chest once more. She collapses onto the bed, falling back onto the pillows, a dizzy sensation overwhelming her.

As if a spark of light hit his eyes, Kerry popped his head up. “So Ray, what makes you like video games so much? Did your Mommy buy you any before? I don’t think I’d ever thought about that…” Kerry asked, flipping to an empty page.

Ray shrugged, his character on screen doing near-impossible feats of combat. “I dunno. They’re fun! I get to be heroes and save the day! Mommy never bought me games, but we went to places like Chuck E. Cheeses and played on the machines there. I played my first video game with Daddy and Ryan and my brothers, and then Miles came and brought me bunches of em’! And then Gavin likes to watch me play them too, so it’s like fun to hang out with him too! Everyone loves video games here, and I’m real good at em’, so that makes em’ like me better!” he said happily.

In a new fervor, Kerry scribbled in a much more precise shorthand. “That’s good! That’s real good!” he exclaimed. “What’s your favorite game to play?” he asked rapidly.

Mishi rose from the bed, composing herself slowly as the two continued to go back and forth, discussing material for Kerry’s book. Ray continued playing his game, blasting through a level at a breakneck pace, eyes intensely focused on it, gripping the controller far more tightly than normal. Kerry was filling entire pages of notes, making semi-outlines and circular references for future chapters.

She softly laughed to herself. “I may have created a few monsters…” Mishi said.

_____________________________

Ryan walked alongside Miles under their own individuals umbrellas in their local neighborhood. Wearing their new leather coats from the previous evening, they were warm in the winter’s cold. Due to the rain, they’d agreed to walking Edgar for Michael, and waited patiently as the dog sniffed in every possible location, never deciding on the right place to do its business.

But as they talked and talked, an hour soon passed, making another lap around the area. Ryan had done most of it, the discussion somehow being directed into his past.

"So then my dad sort of… Lost it. I mean, more than usual. When he was high, he was insane, obviously, but that one time… Jesus… He tried to eat the wall plaster, thinking it was pancakes. Took me a week to get that out of his system. In more ways than one." Ryan says, sighing loudly.

Miles shook his head. “My god…” he muttered.

He rolled his eyes. “And that’s why I will never drink, do drugs, or otherwise inebriate myself. I can’t understand why people would DO THAT to themselves. Fucking hell… Honestly, that was the week where I ALMOST told my teacher. I was done. Done with ALL of it. The only thing that stopped me was mom. Because she… She’d gone a week without drugs, and I stupidly thought it meant she was getting better… And I didn’t want her going to jail.” Ryan explained, stopping as Edgar sniffed a nearby flower bed.

Turning to face his brother, Miles stared at him firmly. “Have you… Talked to them since you moved here? How are they doing?” he asked hesitantly.

Ryan shrugged. “Dunno. Don’t really want to talk to them, honestly. Dad said Mom got moved out of ICU and into the regular prison. She’ll be out in a few years, but won’t have any custodial rights over me anymore. HomeHunter law 101, thank god… Probably won’t see her again, to be honest. Then my bio-dad shived a guard in prison. He won’t be out until I’m like thirty now.” he said, rubbing Edgar’s head as he finishes his business.

With a distraught look, Miles pulled Ryan into a hug. “Dude… Sorry. That’s just…” he muttered.

Shaking his head, Ryan laughed it off. “What? Don’t feel sorry for me. It’s over now. The worst is behind me, and I’ve got nothing but sunshine and rainbows to look forward to now!” he replied.

Thunder boomed overhead, rain pouring down harder than ever.

"Oh fuck you mother nature! You’re not THAT funny!" Miles shot out to the sky, the two of them laughing together.

-

Edgar walks slowly behind his grandson and his new brother. They didn’t notice him, or his veiled presence.

"So man, next semester… How you wanna tell people you’re my brother now?" Ryan asked, turning back to Miles on the home stretch back to their house.

Miles shrugged. “Dunno. I say we just don’t say anything. They’ll hear my name on roll call. If they wanna know, they can ask. I’m not ashamed of the truth anymore. I’ve got THE MOST kickass dad in the whole damn school.” he exclaimed loudly.

Ryan laughed. “Yeah man. JJ’s jealous as dicks. He always wants to come over nowadays.” he chucked out.

A gentle smile covered Edgar’s face as he touched both of their shoulders. “May you both be blessed with the gift of a warm heart that melts the coldness of those who know sorrow. With a desire to bring smiles and laughter to the world, and light to those nearest to you. May you be a beacon in the night, guiding those that need it most…” he says, as warmth flows from his body and into theirs. He begins to fall, Margaret catching him before his frail body strikes the ground.

"You ok?" she asked hastily.

He nodded. “Fine… Just fine… A little… Winded, of course.” Edgar muttered, standing alongside her. “How did… It go for Lindsay and her sister?” he asked, trying to regain his composure.

Magaret smiled. “Just fine. They’ll have compassion and love for others greater than anyone else in the world. But don’t worry about me. What about you? Edgar… You still with us?” she worriedly questioned, laying him down gently on the nearby grass.

Edgar groaned, rubbing his forehead. “Headache… Get me somewhere with tea, if you don’t mind? Somewhere… Quiet?” he muttered painfully.

Granting his request, Margaret and Edgar dissipated into the air, leaving behind the two older Ramseys to return home in peace.

_____________________________

Monty stood in the corner of the house, watching the children interact, taking down notes alongside a few cute sketches. He smiled, watching as little Gavin beamed giddily.

"Thank you Michael!" Gavin shouted, hugging his brother tightly around the neck. In his hand was Michael’s old DS, with a new label reading "Gavin" taped on it..

Michael pushed him off effortlessly, blushing as they sat together on the couch. “It’s not a big deal Gavin! I don’t like Infernape. I’d rather have your… Bidoof.” he muttered insincerely, staring down at his new DS, with a goofy looking beaver staring back at him.

Sitting upside down by them, Dan groaned loudly. “I’m so booooored! I wanna go outside and play!” he whined, kicking his feet in the air like a bicycle.

Across from them on the other couch, Ryan snapped a picture of the three together discreetly. “Don’t worry buddy. Every storm runs out of rain. Eventually anyway… Always does. It’s science!” he said confidently.

Kerry and Elena, in the floor playing with Edgar and a small squeak toy, nodded in agreement. “Relax. Enjoy the quiet!” Kerry said, tossing the dog’s toy to his mother, playing a game of keep-away.

Hopping off the couch, Dan huffs loudly walking circles around the couches, pacing restlessly. “Meeeeehhhhhh” he groaned.

Jack chuckled. “Oh… It’s not that bad Dan. You need a hobby like the other boys. It’ll make the time go faster!” he said loudly from the kitchen.

Gavin nodded. “Yeah Dan! You wanna play Pokemonz? I’ll let you have a turn!” he said kindly, offering his DS eagerly.

He shook his head. “No thanks Gavin. Can we go play on your keyboard and you sing though? That’s fun!” Dan suggested quickly.

Looking towards Jack’s direction, he gives his father a longing expression. “Can I Daddy? I’ll be REAL careful, I know it was expensive!” he exclaimed loudly, in a pleading voice.

Jack nodded immediately. “Of course Gavin! Have fun!” he said quickly, still tending to the afternoon lunch cooking in their home.

Cameron shot up from the dining table, walking with the eagerly running boys. “Hey, I can teach you a little something Isaac showed me a long time ago! How bout twinkle twinkle little star?! We’ll see if you can pick that up!” he said supportingly, joining the two in the hallway.

A sly grin covered Monty’s face, finishing up a small doodle of Gavin, in a modified and re-colored version of his Halloween costume, holding a unique fluret with musical notes lining the length of the blade. Standing defensively in front of the child was a ferocious looking version of Michael, covered in barbarian like-furs, fauna-like bear ears atop his head, and a gigantic sword the length of his body. General sketched outlines of two others were with them, though lacked any definable features.

 _"Wish my brother had been that nice to me… Or parents who were that supportive of my hobbies and dreams. Or just… Had love in general, I guess."_ he thinks to himself, shutting the sketchbook and standing up. He stretches, plopping the book down on the coffee table.

"What’s that?" Miles asked, scanning the cover as he took a seat next to where Monty had been.

Monty shrugged. “Nothing yet. Just an idea I’ve been having lately. Mostly just a lot of art and sketches, no real story for it. Maybe a project in the future, but it’s just wishful thinking right now. Burnie’s got me tied up in projects for the next couple of years…” he muttered quietly. Returning to his seat next to Miles, he turned to the boy. “So what have you been up to lately? Besides, you know, taking charge of your future and ensuring your happiness with this family?” he asks proudly, patting Miles’s shoulder.

Barely blushing from the touch, he cleared his throat. “Uh… Well, me and some guys started a website for video game walkthroughs. Called it Achievement Hunters. We’ve got a lot of viewers, and we’re gonna try and start doing video segments. I’m learning about web stuff from my friend JJ, and I’m trying to learn video editing too.” he explained, animating his hands excitedly as he spoke.

Monty sat and spoke with the boy, listening intently as Miles’s passion shone through, warming his own heart.

________________

The cafe which Isaac had procured for Geoff and Griffon’s was closed down almost immediately after they left. Inside, the group of fades sat among each other, with the exception of Mishi, who was watching over the home.

"You’re sure?" Magaret asked hastily, sitting her coffee cup down.

Isaac nodded. “Positive. It’s him. The Fade who’d been messing with the kids and the adults. Got a good look at him too. Apparently he was dumbfounded that his little cloud of doubt failed to stop Griffon from returning, and let his guard down. If he gets close, I can track him.” he explained, pulling off his bow-tie and stuffing it into his pocket angrily.

Laying down in a booth, Edgar removed a wet washcloth from his forehead. “Is he familiar in any way? A relation to one of the parents? I just don’t see why anyone would want to hurt them in the first place, let alone try and-

"He wants to stop the HomeHunters from succeeding as a social project. It’s the only thing that makes sense." Allison replies sternly.

The group turn to her, facing her with incredulous expressions.

Allison sighs. “Just listen. Let’s review what he’s done thus far. Gave my Michael nightmares, to the point where he was nearly a comatose zombie. Pushed Ryan into the hallway, where he overheard Geoff talking to Burnie about leaving, which nearly ruined the poor boy. Was the one who prodded Brandon and Chris into bullying Gavin, trying to make him hate school or clam up forever. Then there’s Ray. He fought tooth and nail to try and get Ray found out by the Narveaz family, to the point where Edgar had to step in and watch over them on a daily basis.” she said, shaking her head angrily. “Tried to kill Elena Shawcross yesterday, which would have ruined Kerry forever and stuck him with his father. The he planted that unreasonable rage into Kyle Luna, which nearly drug Miles out of the house and would have devastated both him and his brothers. You see where I’m going with this?” Allison muttered, staring at the others with a knowing glance.

Isaac bites his lip. “He’s targeting the kids. Trying to make them miserable, or unable to move past their situations. Where they obsess over it, to the point where they can’t function. Where they…” he analyzed, gripping his teacup tightly.

"Where they can’t fulfill their lives. And likely live out their days in sorrow or anger. Much like Geoffrey did." Margaret finished for him, sighing loudly.

Isaac nodded. “Which would make the HomeHunters….” he muttered.

"A failure. And just another abandoned project to be forgotten." Allison murmured.

There’s a dark silence between the four of them, with a rumbling of thunder echoing in the tiny shop.

________________

The front door to the HomeHunters knocked in the early Christmas afternoon. Most of the children were in the bedrooms, playing with their new toys together peacefully as the adults setup the long unfolding tables next door, preparing for their many guests to arrive.

All except Michael, who was playing his new DS, by himself on the couch with Edgar laying in his lap. Most knew it wise not to disturb him in the middle of a gaming session.

With the knock gaining his attention, he swerves his head around so see Geoff walking through the front door. “DADDY’S HOME!” Michael yelled, smiling brightly. “MERRY CHRISTMAS DADDY, I-” he shouted, dropping his DS onto the couch and started to climb over the couch to run at him, but stops mid-sentence. Behind Geoff, there was a woman with bright pink hair, and a silver ring through her nose. She was in his daddy’s big coat, and was smilingly brightly.

Geoff escorted her into the home, maneuvering her towards Michael. “Hey Michael! This is my best friend from high school… Griffon Anderson. I invited her over, I… Hope you don’t mind.” he says simply. “Where is everyone?” Geoff asked, looking around the empty space.

Michael stares her over, as she wipes her hair from her face. “Hi Michael! It’s so good to meet you! Geoff told me all about you this morning!” Griffon said in a happy tone, extending her hand to him.

Still unsure of the woman, Michael takes her hand and shakes it. “Hi Griffon. Nice to meet you too.” he replied politely, like he’d been taught in school and from his father’s many instructions.

She released his hand, running her newly freed hand through his red curls. “Aww… Oh my gosh, you are just the CUTEST little gentleman EVER! I could just pack you up and take you home myself!” she screamed, picking him up from the couch and hugging him tightly.

It was with much willpower that Michael overcame an urge to bite her. “Griffon, put me down. Please.” he said in a suffocated, yet polite tone, barely able to breathe where he was lodged into.

Geoff snorted as she put him down, rubbing his son’s hair playfully. “Yeah, please don’t pick him up like that. Michael’s not really a touchy-feely kind of kid. Unless he wants it. Right?” he stated firmly, looking to Michael for confirmation.

He nodded. “Yeah. Don’t do that again.” Michael instructed angrily.

She gave him a thumbs up. “Got it, sorry. I’m a very hands on person. Especially when there are cute little kids involved!” Griffon says, giving him a little more space.

Just as they begin to share pleasantries, the backdoor slams open, Elena standing in its frame with fierce eyes.

"GRIFFY!" Ms. Shawcross screams, jolting from the door and running towards her. She clings to the woman’s neck tightly, choking the life out of her. "GRIFFY! OH MY GOD, IT’S BEEN WAY TOO LONG! I’M NOT LETTING YOU GO EVER AGAIN! WHY DIDN’T YOU CALL ME YOU LITTLE SHIT! I AM SO PISSED OFF AT YOU! BUT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND AHHH! YOU’RE BACK! YOU’RE BACK!" Elena screamed at full force.

Griffon struggles to breathe, sputtering. “G…Good to see you too!”

Smugly, Michael folds his arms. “Not fun is it?” he said smarmily.

"Nope." she managed to choke out, smacking Elena several times on the head to get the message across.

-

After the introductions and reunions were made, Griffon found herself welcomed immediately into what she could only describe as the warmest home in the entire world. Across the tables in front of her was a lavish spread of home cooked foods, a large turkey, and plenty of drinks. The friends and family spoke lovingly to each other, with bright smiles, jovial faces, and just and overall amazing atmosphere.

Turning her attention to the side of the table, she hears as a more heated debate begins to unfold.

"So like, I’m saying we’ve GOT to watch "It’s a Wonderful Life". That’s got to be our thing! Every family has to have a "thing" at Christmas!" Miles shouted loudly across the table.

Joel groaned, slamming his head dramatically on the table. “I have seen that godforsaken film so many times in my life, that I think it might actually give me cancer. Don’t give me cancer Miles. Think of the children!” he replied seriously.

Chuckling, Ryan forced down a huge helping of stuffing, swallowing quickly. He raises his hand up. “Ok, then how about we watch the Grinch that Stole Christmas? I remember my grandpa and I watched that one year, and I liked it!” he said warmly.

Piping up, Gavin wipes his gravy-stained mouth on his long-sleeve shirt. “Let’s watch RWBY!” he suggested loudly.

"NO!" echoed Jack and Geoff simultaneously, which offered them a dirty look from both Monty and Burnie.

Belching loudly, Barbara giggled alongside the other boys laughing at her. “Does it have to be a movie? Why not go caroling or something? HEY. We can setup Gavin on main-street, put a little basket or something in front of him, get him some really sad looking Tiny Tim getup and get SUPER RICH off his beautiful voice! Then we buy cookies! Lots and lots of cookies!” she replied jokingly, clapping her hands together.

Cameron shot her a dark look while the children cheered her decision on. “Barbie, hun, I love you, but I can and will end you in the most horrendous way possible. No way are you parading my Gavin around in some funky costume for the masses to throw money at him!” he said darkly, in a playing, yet serious manner.

The elder Eberles share cute glances with each other. “When Kara was little, we used to get her all dressed up in formal-wear and take her out for a family portrait! AHH, it was the most adorable thing ever! And then we’d go home and listen to our dear cousin play Mozart on the piano…” Caroline offers in a dreamy voice, pulling out a wallet from her purse, and photographs cascading down from it in an almost comical fashion.

Kara froze, gulping. “Uh… OR we could do something that doesn’t suck the life out of us.” she shot, her own father laughing in a shared agreement.

Watching them all bicker back and forth, in such a warm, friendly way, Griffon’s heart leaps. Whatever clouded confusion that had obscured her mind the earlier months, was gone. With a single smile, she knew she belonged back in Austin. Back with Geoff, Jack and everyone else she’d come to know and love as a child.

"You know… When Jack, Griffy, and I were little, we did this thing on Christmas Day, since we never got any presents or stuff at the orphanage, and Griffy’s parents were poor." Geoff says, the room silencing immediately.

Griffon turned to him, watching his face form a bright smile.

"At the time, I thought it was stupid, but looking back… I think it was the best thing ever." he explained, taking a moment to turn to Griffy and give her a warm pat on the leg. "We always agreed, that no matter what… The three of us would spend Christmas Day together, telling our happiest stories we could remember from that whole year. It was supposed to be for… Well, you know. Making us feel better about our crappy situation." he said in a soft voice.

Silence fills the room, with only a few clattering of plates and forks providing noise. There’s an awkward moment or two, which Ryan chooses to break as he raises a glass in the air.

"My favorite thing this year… Was when Dad took me to the courthouse and adopted me. Then coming home and having my whole family there to celebrate my birthday. That was the day I KNEW everything was going to be better from now on!" Ryan said, looking at his dad with a priceless smile.

Michael put down his fork. “My favorite thing was when Gavin came over that first night to read with Jackie, and I got to be his brother. Cuz he’s my best friend, and if that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have him!” he said honestly, Gavin smiling at him with a toothy grin.

"My favorite thing was when Miles moved in for good! Cuz then we got our whole family complete, and I got all my brothers and bruvs and daddies!" Gavin exclaims.

It was with reluctance that Ray raised his head up. “My… Uh favorite thing was when Jackie and I made the fort in the living room when Dan stayed the night. Cuz that was fun, and… I started feeling home again. But I liked it when Miles started playing games with me too…” he said quietly.

With a fierce determination, Lindsay stood atop her chair. “My favorite thing was when Jay came and saved me from Mrs. Eldridge and let me come stay with him again! Cuz now he’s my Daddy, and I know that’s what Mommy wanted for me!” she said in a sincere tone.

Dan smiled proudly. “My favorite thing was when I went to school and got to meet Gavin and Michael and Ray! Because they’re my best friends, and we have lots of fun together!” he stated firmly.

Wiping her hair out of her face, Courtney sits with her hands in her lap quietly. “I guess…. My favorite thing is when Caiti let me go to school, and took me to my new home for the first time. Cuz I got my sister Lindsay, and big brother Dan. And… Mommy Kara and Daddy Joel.” she mumbled sadly.

Miles grinned. “My favorite thing was… Last week, when Dad adopted me, and I became Miles Ramsey, getting four of the best brothers in the world, and two amazing dads. And.. I got to be a member of this home… For good. Forever.” he affirmed quickly.

After being punching in the gut from his mother, Kerry raises himself from a spontaneously appearing notebook, halting his notes. “Uh… My favorite thing this year was when I started coming here after school. It’s like I’m part of the family too, and I love that. Oh, and for you guys being great sports about all my writing crap.” he replied, returning to his notes immediately.

With the children finished, the adults exchanged looks with each other, pleasant expressions covering the table.

Griffon turned her head to Geoff. “Sounds like they’ve all been through a lot.” she says quietly between her and him. He swings to speak with her privately. “But despite that… They see the brighter side of things. And that makes them all leaps and bounds ahead of any of us when we were their age…” she says, smiling happily.

He nods. “A good home full of people that love you goes a long ways Griffy. And it’s a two way street. If they’re happy. We’re happy.” Geoff replies quietly.

Her hand intertwines with his. “Yeah… It sure does.” Griffon said, sharing a loving look between them. The two lean into each other, resting on the other’s shoulder.

"I missed you Griffy. Your heart, the way you talk, and… Just… Everything. With you here, everything just… Seems complete, at last." he says softly.

She nuzzled into his shoulder. “I feel the same way.” Griffon said simply.

"Daddy? Can I have some dessert now? I’m done with dinner!" Michael asked, poking his father in the arm and interrupting an otherwise tender moment.

Geoff released Griffon’s grasp, and she gave him a knowing nod. Turning his full attention to Michael, he gave him a big smile. “Sure thing kiddo. What’d you like? Cake? Cookies? Pie? Whatever you’d-“

"THE RAIN STOPPED!" Dan screamed loudly, leaping from the table with only a half-eaten plate. He runs to the door, and sure enough, the sun was peaking out of the clouds, light shining through the glass windows. Dan rips open the door, waving quickly to signal the others. "Come on Daddy! Help me put up the goals! We wanna play!" he yelled, running to the door.

Gavin’s face lit up as well. “YAY! Come on Michael! Come on Lindsay! Let’s go! We’ll play some footy!” he said excitedly.

Lindsay rolled her eyes. “It’s called soccer Gavin! Geez, you talk weird!” she said, grabbing Michael by the hand and pulling him away from Griffon and Geoff.

"But PIIIIEEEEE!" Michael retorted, not having much say in the matter as he’s drug along.

Ryan and Miles both stood up at about the same time. “We’ll do it Dad. You guys sit and talk. I’m sure you and Griffy have a lot to talk about!” he muttered slyly, winking at his father.

Tugging Kerry out of his chair mid-chew, Miles drug him to the back yard with the other kids. “Come on Kerry! You too! I sense book material involving muddy children having happy fun times chasing around a ball!” he said seriously.

Stretching out just before he’s drug away, Kerry manages to snag his notebook from the table. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” he replied, being drug against his will.

With the children running out of the house, and the sounds of children laughing playfully outside. Geoff sits back down at his seat, turning back to Griffon. “So did you tell Burnie yet?” he asked.

Perking his ears up, Burnie turns around to face her. “Tell me what?” he asked nervously.

A nervous chuckle leaves her lips. “Uhh… Well… To be honest Burnie… I’m…. Probably moving back to Austin now. I’ll commute and stay at your place when you need me for voice acting or to visit, but I’m-“

Burnie spews his drink out of his mouth, covering Joel’s entire shirt and face in cola. “You’re WHAT?!” he shouts.

A confident smile covers her face. “It’s my choice. I want to come home.” Griffon says, in a tone of finality.

Flinging herself across the table, Elena hugs Griffon around the neck. “GRIFFY! AHHH! YES! You come right NOW. You can stay with Kerry and I until you find a place!” she squealed loudly.

And just like that, plans for Griffon’s return were quickly underway as light refracted on the watery windows, creating rainbow-like lights on the walls. The afternoon went on pleasantly enough, the sound of happy children echoing from the outside, and the loud laughter of adults on the inside.

It would forever be remembered as the best Christmas the HomeHunters ever had together. Because it was on that day that they became whole.

___________________________

Mia giggled in the corner of the new Narvaez home, playing with Maddie, the two in a heated game of Monopoly Jr.

Situated only a block or two from the HomeHunters neighborhood, it was an average two floored dwelling, furnished with cozy brown leather furniture, and the floors were covered in plush red carpeting of the finest material.

Situated across from each other in opposing recliners in another room, Emilio and Luis were both enjoying cold beverages, watching some televised Christmas movie. Though their attention was more focused on each other, rather than the screen.

Luis rubbed his forehead, laughing to himself. “So the Jones’ weren’t opposed to us taking over completely? I find that hard to believe. Tom was always a hardass with his little meth industry here in Austin. Took father years to arrange a deal with him. How’d you manage to buy everything lock, stock, and barrel?” Luis muttered quietly, in a serious tone.

Emilio smiled. “Made things easier when I showed them a few addittional zeros on our existing contract. And reminded them of who was boss of a nearly nation-wide criminal syndicate with millions at his disposal.” he replied smugly.

Luis shook his head. “You’re blowing through father’s money like it’s nothing. Can’t be good for the future of the business…” he commented sarcastically.

"That’s the point Luis, you smart-ass. Here’s to… The eventual bankruptcy of a once great criminal empire. Spending father’s bloodied money to better the world around us. And to the birth of a new righteous business to a better tomorrow." Emilo said cheerily, raising his beer bottle, clinking with Luis.

They both drank deeply, slamming their respective bottles hard against the table between them.

Fidgeting nervously with his now emptied bottle, he sighs. “Think this will work? Seems like a longshot. We’ll surely be caught in the transition from underworld criminals to… Forbes…” Luis whispered.

Emilio chuckled to himself. “Far from it. We’re good. We have the best and brightest in business on payroll. Many who are… Sick of the darker path they were forced into, and eager to make the change. We can bribe the rest for their silence, and re-create a new reputation that’s flawless. And maybe soon enough, we’ll be the respectable family we should be…” he replied. Recognition strikes him, and Emilio snorted. “Oh, that reminds me. Speaking of “respectable” families. Tom and Linda’s boy… The Joneses? Well, his name is JJ, and he’s friends with the HomeHunters. Talked about Ray and their family with him for a while a few weeks ago.” he remarked.

"Oh?" Luis said, perking his ears up.

His brother nodded. “Indeed. Your son is apparently quite the video game enthusiast. He’s really good at getting these things called… Achievements? I think they’re like points or something… But he likes “speed” running games? Trying to beat them real fast? I don’t get it, to be honest.” Emilio said oddly, not sure on the proper terminology.

Luis chuckled for several moments, with a huge grin on his face at the mentioning of his son. But that warm smile soon melts into a curved smirk. “Wait a minute… You’re letting the son of the two biggest meth dealers in Austin INTO Ray’s HOUSE?! EMI!” Luis shouted, turning to his brother angrily.

Emilio rolled his eyes. “The boy knows nothing about their family business, and certainly isn’t part of the smuggling ring. I doubt he ever will either. Besides us, the late Crawfords, and their liason with us, nobody knows about their little double life. They’re just raking in the money letting their underlings do all the dirty work, keeping their hands out of it. And besides, I just bought the business from them. It’s not like they’re even connected anymore…” he retorted, yawning loudly.

A flash of long black hair swings into view. “Daddy! Daddy! I won! I beat Maddie!” Mia clamored, jumping up and down excitedly in front of Luis, holding a huge wad of play-cash in her hands.

Luis patted her head. “Very good! Very good! You’re such a smart little girl!” he said, picking her up and putting her into his lap.

She hugged him tightly, cuddling into his chest. “Daddy, is mommy coming home for Christmas?” Mia asked, her voice still in its playful sing-song manner.

Looking away from her, Luis pats her gently on the back. “No… No sweetheart. Mommy Sara… She… She lef-….” he clamored, lowering his voice to a near whisper.

"MIA! Where’s Uncle Emi’s hug, huh? Don’t I get any love!?" Emilio hastily announces in a jovial tone. Without thinking anymore of the earlier question, Mia hops off Luis’s lap and rushes for Emilio. She hugs him just as tightly as she had her father, Emi patting her on the back soothingly.

Madeline joins them, having finished picking up the earlier board game, and stands between the two brothers. “Anyone want some hot chocolate? Some cookies? It’s so cold and rainy, I think we could all use a nice cozy treat!” she asked in a sweet voice.

"I DO!" Mia yelled loudly, raising her hand.

Smiling gently, Madeline nods. “Well come help me then! I’ll let you pick out the dough, and you can stir the cocoa mix!” she says, picking Mia up from Emilio’s arms and hefting her into the kitchen.

Once the two women were out of earshot, Emilio turned to his still frowning brother. “Luis… When are you going to tell her that Sara’s left? You don’t have to tell her that her mother abandoned her for some briefcase of cash and a new identity, but… Just tell her SOMETHING. It’s painful watching her look out the window every night, hoping her Mama comes home. I know it’s going to be hard, but… She needs to know the truth.” he whispered quietly, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder supportingly.

Luis nodded. “I know Emi… I know…” he muttered quietly.

___________________________

The McCormick office was open as per its usual hours. Despite the Christmas holiday, there was always time for someone to be sluethed. Sat in his chair, Shannon was in a thick hoodie, and in a much more casual attire than he usually would have worn otherwise. Across from him was a man of extravagant wealth, and amazing appearance, but of little importance to the human race as far as Shannon was concerned.

”..so… Can you do this?” he asked desperately, in a nasally tone that signified his dignified manner of speaking.

Sighing, Shannon nodded reluctantly. “Tail your wife and see if she’s cheating on you or neglecting your children in any legally discernible way. Get photographic evidence for your custody case. Not a difficult task. I’ll have you something by next week.” he murmured, signaling to the door.

The two exchange pleasantries, and his client was soon out the door and out of his life. Shannon slinked back into his chair, reaching for a bottle of brandy to his side. Not bothering with a glass, he downs it straight from the tap. Gasping for air as he comes up from the drink, he turns to the side of his desk, where a single photograph laid. A much younger looking version of himself, a small boy with dark brunette hair, emerald green eyes, and his late wife.

"…it doesn’t get easier…Why’d I lie to that kid?" he slurred to himself, slamming the bottle of alcohol onto the table. As redness overtakes his face, he rests his head upon the top of the desk, using his client’s file as a makeshift pillow. "Can’t even take my own damn advice and just move on. They’re dead Shannon… They’re dead, and they’re never coming back. The sooner you accept that… The better off you’ll… Be…" he stammered, feeling the effects of the alcohol already dulling his senses.

The phone to the office rings, but he doesn’t bother to answer it, forwarding it voice mail. After the pre-recorded message, a familiar voice echos over the line.

"Shannon, it’s Tom Jones. Listen, I need for you to get back to me on the Narvaez people ASAP. I want to know EXACTLY how deep they’re rooting themselves here. I’ve already seen that bastard Luis at the schools, and I swear he was at the Senator’s lunch reception today, talking like they were some old friends! Call me back. TODAY." the voice demanded, ending the call with a loud slam of the phone.

Moaning loudly, he unplugs the phone and shuts off his cell phone. Laying back onto his desk, he merely closes his eyes, drifting off to sleep as he stared at his family’s portrait.

-

The teenage fade watched as the man slowly slipped into unconsciousness as the evening drug on. He’d fought sleep tooth and nail, but eventually gave way as the rain stopped, and a bright sunlight shone through the office windows. Stepping forward quietly from the corner of the room where he’d appeared, the fade retrieves a blanket from a nearby couch, draping it over Shannon gently. He also sets a small glass to the side, filling it with water from a nearby water cooler, and setting several painkillers to the side from the man’s desk.

"You always have the worst hangovers. Gonna regret that bottle, I promise you that… Bloody git. It’s why you stopped drinking in the first place… It doesn’t make it any better either." he muttered quietly to himself.

"….Maria…. B… W….Wait for daddy…." Shannon mumbled in his sleep, a pleasant smile covering his face.

Hearing the words, the fade shuts his eyes painfully, walking away from Shannon quickly. Lips trembling, he shakes his head, nearly tripping over a chair. The fade grips his fists tightly, anger bubbling up from his body once more, enveloping his previously tender heart. “Don’t worry… I’ll… I’ll make those bloody monsters pay. For everything they did to us… I’ll see to it that they never get their happy ending.” he spat out, disappearing from the office as quickly as he’d appeared.

___________________________

Christmas came and went, and within only a few days, the families were already gearing up for New Year’s eve. The children were outside in the front yard, playing with sparklers and waving them around like magic wands. Ryan, Miles and Kerry were having bottle rocket contests, attempting to strike targets from a distance, but mostly trying to blow each other up. Watching from the porch, the parents and friends watched, sipping various beverages of differing alcoholic content.

Cameron stood with Barbara leaning against the rail, the two of them downing bottles of beer at a fast pace. The two had spoken at length about Mishi since Christmas, becoming drinking buddies during the many family gatherings.

"So Cammy… Have you tried to date since… You know. Isaac? Surely there’s somewhere you’d rather be than out here with a bunch of old fogies watching kids play with sparklers? It’s New Year’s! There’s gotta be a great party for you somewhere!" she asked, staring into her bottle awkwardly.

He shrugged. “Not really. Not big into partying, never have been. Isaac and I always would rather stay at home with Gavin, watching movies, playing music, or playing board games.” Cameron said. His face relaxed, fondness covering it.

Barbara poked him. “So no dating?” she pressured curiously.

Sighing, Cameron rubbed the back of his head. “Had dinner with a nice girl one night I had class with, she wasn’t really my type. One drunken weekend fling with a guy I knew from theater club, regretted it immediately. But really, I just don’t have time for a relationship right now. Too much schoolwork, about to try and find a job, student teaching, my move… The whole nine yards. Then there’s Gavin to worry about. Too many promises I made to Isaac, and that Isaac made to Gavin. He means the world to me, and I can’t leave him. That boy and Isaac was going to be my family. And Gavin all I got left of it…” Cameron said, leaning over the rail and splaying out like a ragdoll.

Barbara turned to him. “Aww… Cammy! That’s so sweet! But honey, I think you shouldn’t forget to make yourself happy too! All work and no play, or whatever they say. Because if you don’t, you’ll NEVER be able to help anyone else. Don’t be afraid to take some time for yourself too. I’m sure Gavin would understand! And I’m sure Isaac would hate to see you so stressed out all the time!” she says, pulling him into a side hug.

Rolling his eyes, Cameron shook it off. “Meh. Relax. I have fun! I… I… Uh…”

"Don’t bullshit her Cameron. You spend pretty much every weekend here with us. Or working. Or taking Gavin out to see shows. I don’t think I’ve EVER seen you do anything for yourself since you first came here that night." Jack said as he walked by, returning to sit next to Caiti on the porch swing.

Eyeing him darkly, she shook her head. “Cammy….” Barbara muttered angrily.

"Like you’re any better Barbie! You put in the overtime like Ray plays video games!" Caiti yells from the peanut gallery.

Cameron smugly grinned in her direction.

Barbara flipped off Caiti, from behind, not taking her eyes off of him. “That’s not the same. I’m an old lady! Cameron’s a young buck! He should be out having fun!” she says angrily, in a defensive tone.

"Barbie, if YOU’RE old, then I’m about to croak any moment now. I leave my worldly possessions to Edgar the dog. Take that down Kara, I mean that." Joel cracks from the sidelines.

Griffon, sat beside Geoff on the front steps, turned to them with a pleasant smile. “Well, the solution is obvious then! You two should go out and have fun together, and make each other have fun! Maybe take Kara with you! Or one of the other parents! No kids, no distractions, no work… Just make a little friendly night out! Go drinking or something! See a movie? Just something to take your mind off everything and blow off steam!” she offers, in a kind tone.

Snorting, Barbara laughs. “Oh my god, Griffy… You can’t be serious. There’s no way Cameron would want to hang out with a few old fogies-“

"I’d like that." Cameron said instantly, turning his attention back to the kids. He smiled as Lindsay chased Gavin and Michael around with a handful of morning glories, popping explosives in their general direction.

Barbara’s face fell, swinging back around to Cameron with a confused expression.

"I don’t really have a lot of friends in college. I mean, besides Casey, but we’re just acquaintances, and she’s got her own circle of friends. And I’m moving out here, so… It’d be nice to have someone to… Show me the spots? Have my own friends?" he asked meekly. He turned to face her. "And… I like you guys. You’re not like anyone else I’ve ever met. Being around you all… Reminds me what it was like to have Isaac still around." he said sadly.

There was a silence on the front porch, while everyone stared at him woefully.

Cameron smiled, taking another long swig of his beverage. “And… Maybe you’re right Barbie. Maybe I do need to…”

"GUYS! IT’S ALMOST MIDNIGHT!" Gavin screamed from the front yard, tapping on his tiny watch loudly.

-

The adults, after loud pressure form the kids, join them all on the front yard, looking into the night sky for the city fireworks display.

Geoff held Griffon’s hand, smiling at her. And like the little cockblocker he’d been all week, Michael shoved himself in between the two, motioning for Geoff to pick him up.

Without hesitation, he does, pulling up Michael on the shoulder opposite of Griffon.

"ONE MINUTE!" Gavin yelled, still staring down at his watch.

Michael whispered into Geoff’s ear. “Daddy… Do you like like Griffy?” he asked cautiously.

He turned to his son, giving him a curious glance. “I do. Is that ok with you?” Geoff said, his voice serious and firm.

His son shrugged. “Sure, just… You don’t like like her more than you like like me or Gavin or Ray or Ryan, or Miles, right?” Michael asked, his voice jealous and low.

Geoff laughed, hugging the child tightly. “Of course not. I love you kids more than anything else in this whole wide world. And that will NEVER change.” he explained, rubbing the child’s head playfully.

Michael nodded. “Ok… That’s good, cuz I like Griffy.” he said in a hushed tone.

"HERE IT COMES! TEN SECONDS!" Gavin screams, starting the countdown for them all.

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX!" yelled the kids.

Michael tugged on Geoff’s shirt. “You’re supposed to kiss the pretty lady on New Years, ya know. They did that in a movie…”, he whispered into his father’s ear, a little more loudly than was necessary.

Snorting, Griffon stifles a laugh.

Geoff, however, laughed hard, patting his son on the shoulder. “You know what… I think you’re right.” he said, shifting Michael to his opposite side, pulling Griffon into his body. Her face was grinning from ear to ear, following his movement.

"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!" the group yelled once more.

Geoff and Griffon kissed on the lips, the children clapping as fireworks shot far into the Austin sky, exploding in a rainbow of colors. Booms lit up the city in loud explosions, and the start to a new year was already in full swing.

"Eww…." Michael moaned, making gagging noises in such close proximity, and pushing himself out of Geoff’s arms, dropping to the ground.

Appearing beside him was Lindsay, who was smirking mischievously. “Happy new year Michael!” she exclaimed loudly, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"EWW! LINDSAY! I SAID NO MORE KISSING!" he yelled loudly, wiping his face off exaggeratedly. He runs off as she chases him, and the crowd before them all laugh at the sight.

Geoff chuckled to himself as he pulled away from Griffon. “Here’s to a fresh start, and to… New beginnings for everyone.” he said happily.

_

In a dark black trench coat and matching hat, a tall teenager stands outside the HomeHunters, watching them from afar. Fireworks exploded overhead, coloring the world around him in vivid light.

"I won’t allow it. Like bloody hell am I going to allow it." he venomously commented. Swinging around, he stops immediately as Isaac appeared directly behind him.

"Back the hell off. We’re on to your damn game, whoever the hell you are… You get near ANY of them again, or hurt one of them, and we won’t hesitate to make your afterlife a living hell." he scathed.

With a gentle scoff, the boy pushes past him carelessly. “This coming from the man that arranged for his own mum and dad to perish? I find that… Bloody brilliant.” he says darkly.

Isaac grabs him by the scruff of his coat. “Just tell me why then. What the fuck is wrong with you? Why these kids? Why THIS project? What do you have to gain from ruining the HomeHunters?” he yelled.

Walking down the porch, he laughed to himself. “Life’s not fair. You know that as well as I do…” he cackled.

Standing in front of the house protectively, Isaac eyed him with a dark glare.

"I’m just making sure that nothing changes in that regard." he says in a mocking tone. "You may have the players and pieces in position for your little… Game… But I assure you… This is far from over. And… I’m not afraid of you. Any of you. You don’t know what real fear is…" the stranger finishes. Wordlessly, he disappears on the front sidewalk, fading into thin air.

Isaac balls his hand into a fist. A chill runs down his spine, watching as the male falls out of his range of detection. He shakes his head, biting the bottom of his lip. “I don’t know what happened to you… Or why you’re doing what you’re doing… But I won’t let you touch them… Not now… Not ever.” he says harshly, staring angrily into the sky..

____________________________

Appearing halfway across the city, the fade chuckles to himself as he walks quietly in the small suburban home, occupying a small bedroom. Snoring loudly in a shared bed were two adults in silken nightclothes. The darkness of the room obscured their faces.

"Yes… They’ll do just fine. Already so far gone on their own, it shouldn’t take too much to push them over the edge…" he announced darkly, placing his hands upon their foreheads. A devious grin covers his face. "May avarice overtake you, forever bathing you in a sea of envious delusions." he chants, as a bitter cold escapes his hands and flows into their bodies.

The two adults shift painfully in the bed, faces scrunching in discomfort.

Removing his hands, the male disappears, re-appearing in the other end of the house. In a lit room with a soft glow of a large television screen, two small boys were playing a game together under shared covers in their beds.

"Chris, how’d you get so good at games?!" Brandon whispered, giggling as the two finished in first and second place for another online Mario Kart match.

Chris grinned. “Cuz we play so much together! It was boring before playing by myself. But now it’s REALLY fun to play with you! It’s really fun having a brother! I’m glad mommy and daddy got married now!” he said happily, turning to smile at his brother.

Brandon nodded in agreement. “Yeah! We’re never alone anymore! We’ve got each other, Nanny Stella, and have Mommy and Daddy too! Everything’s perfect now!” he says brightly.

As the next match queues up, they return their focus to the television screen, their virtual karts already revving loudly.

"Yes… They’ll do JUST fine… They’re just what I need to work around those damn pests…" he comments giddily, eyeing the two children like a piece of meat. Chuckling to himself, the fade swings around to exit the room. "And that just leaves him…."

_____________

Clinking their champagne glasses together, Carter, Caleb, and Caleb’s father cheered together as the clock hit midnight. The three had celebrated New Year’s together, with a nice dinner, a movie marathon, and talk of Caleb’s future.

"I’m still not sure this is the best for you son! Not going to college? Shouldn’t you think about this more?" Mark asked, leaning back against the leather sofa.

Caleb rolled his eyes. “DAD. We’ve been over this! It’s a good, steady, state job. I’ll have a legal certification. I know you’re worried about the piss-poor salary, but if they grow, I’ll get more money too! Then there’s good insurance, benefits, and I get my own house!” he exclaimed.

Shrugging, Carter sighed. “I know that’s attractive for a teenager, but really… I agree with your father. You should still at least apply, take the ACT and work on getting good grades. Think about it until you graduate, and by then I’m sure you’ll know what’s right. But don’t just resign yourself to just one path.” he said, setting his glass on the table.

Mark nods quickly. “I agree with Carter. If that’s what you want, I’ll support you. But son, don’t give up on everything just yet.” he added.

Standing up, Caleb stretches out. “I’m not giving up on school, JEEZE guys, relax! I’ll do whatever you want, so just… CHILL!” he moaned, walking towards the door with a loud yawn. “Dad it’s late. I know you’ve got work in the morning, ready?” Caleb asked, grabbing his father’s keys from the table.

Mark downed the last of his beverage, hopping up from the table. “Yeah, yeah… Thanks for having us Carter. Have a good evening, and happy new year!” he said, shaking his friend’s hand as he makes his way towards the door.

The two make their way out the door with final farewells, and Carter begins picking up the few items still littering his living room. He smiled, re-arranging the pillows on the couch. “Can’t say I don’t blame Caleb. I feel the same way the boy feels. I’d take Geoff on his offer and take the curriculum myself, but… Well, those kids need me at school. Someday though… Someday… I’ll rejoin them.” he says wistfully, a warmth spreading across his heart.

There’s a lightness in his step, and a hum in his voice. A gleeful expression hadn’t left his face since the truth about Caleb’s mother was made known. Much like he’d expected, Mark hadn’t wanted to go to the press without more conclusive evidence, and he didn’t push. Knowing the truth was enough. Carter began singing a light Disney tune, tossing trash into the kitchen, with several glasses in his hand. “I should give Caleb some of my psych books. Some child development things. Let him see what college could give him… He’s a smart boy. He’d do-“

But mid-rant, the front door is knocked on. Carter throws the glasses into the sink, opening the door without checking. “That you Caleb? Did you forge-” he says, voice cut off immediately as a gloved hand is thrust into his chest cavity, gripping his heart. Instead of blood or a physical wound, a gaping black hole is left where the hand remained stuck.

Pushing him forward, the fade smiles gleefully. “Mr. Reed… So good to see you again. It’s been FAR too long. The two of us should have a little… Chat.” he chuckled.

Stuttering, Carter’s body begins to convulse, and his eyes begin to roll into the back of his head.

"B….B….Be….Ben….." Carter manages to choke out, just as the last of his consciousness leaves him, and he collapses to the floor in a heap.

[-End of Part I-](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtMXnr293zU)


End file.
